


A Wolf In Wolf's Clothing

by G33kinthepink



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blow Jobs, Dubious Consent, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Frostbite, Gore, Hand Jobs, M/M, Rape/Non-con Elements, Smut, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Tentacles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-05
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-08-19 03:47:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 44,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16526699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/G33kinthepink/pseuds/G33kinthepink
Summary: Loki let go and waited for the void to take him, to end his torment. Though little did he know it was just beginning. Now he's living on Midgard and sharing his body with a rather possessive symbiote. Though whether his life is better than it had been back on Asgard is still up for debate. He certainly could do without eating humans, but the tater tots weren't bad. He's just got to keep his head down, blend in, and act human. Easier said then done, apparently. Especially when Steve Rogers is your neighbor.Set just after Thor 1 and taking a rather AU turn of events.This story does not have a definitive closed ending, it has an open ending so that I may continue it in the future if there muse strikes.Loki is mostly not a sweet, innocent cinnamon bun.Looks like I'm the first to this ship. I regret NOTHING!!!It also looks like we've officially names this ship FrostBite. Here's to many more shippers to follow...hopefully.





	1. Chapter 1

   

  It’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the sudden stop at the end. Loki welcomed the sudden stop, the stop to his torment,the stop to the lies his so called family had filled his head with, and the stop to the pain he felt because of it. Such a deep aching it felt as though his chest were going to split with it. So, he let go and waited, but he didn’t stop. And neither did the pain.

   As he awoke in new and unfamiliar territory, Loki didn’t recognize the place, but he knew a cell when he saw one. The starkness of it, the thick glass wall where a short man with fluffy shock of white hair on his head and a strange blue stripe running down his lower lip peered in at him with growing interest.

  Over the following days or weeks,he had honestly lost track of time, he was strapped down and hooked to machine after to machine. Machines that made him feel...feel pain...weariness...hunger, when all he truly craved was the nothingness of death. His captor attempted to speak to him, he refused to answer any of his numerous questions.He knew the man was trying to figure him out. Figure out what he was, who he was.

  He was sedated, had blood stolen from him along with other fluids that he’d rather not recount of their extraction procedure, however the term milking certainly came to mind. Though if that served any purpose other than the pale man’s own sorted amusement, Loki would never know.

  Loki soon discovered that he wasn’t alone,however. There were other cells. Other creatures being held against their will, to be poked and prodded endlessly by the man. Loki steadfastly held his ground, watching, observing, leaving no detail unnoticed as he planned his escape. If the man would just kill him, then it would at least finish what Loki had started, but no, it seemed he was just here to torment him. He half wondered, hoped even that his brother would appear to save him, surely Heimdall could see him, see what was happening to him. But Thor never did, which only further firmed his resolve. He was unwanted, useless, and now tossed aside. Nothing more than a stolen relic. It burned him how much it hurt to have his own realization confirmed by his supposed family’s innactions.

  When his chance finally opened, he took it. A bit of magic to disappear food he’d placed in his mouth, obviously laced with a sedative. Feigning sleep until his bonds were undone, and he was moved onto a rolling table of sorts. The grunt worker turning to close his cell giving him the briefest of moments that he needed. He now watched as the illusion of him was wheeled away.  
Once it was just out of sight, he changed his own form to appear as one of these grunts, straightening up and walking purposefully down the corridor along the cells. The trick to blending in is to appear as if you belong there, and that’s what Loki was doing. All while desperately searching for a way out.

  He’d hoped the illusion would last longer, but alarms blared far sooner than he’d like and rapid footsteps were soon approaching. A split second and a flash of magic later and he had opened a cell just behind him, ducking in and pulling the door just barely shut as he hunkered down behind it’s wall. A mass of grunts hurrying past mere moments later. He heard a shuffle behind him and turned to see a skinny human like figure approaching.

  “Terribly sorry to intrude,” He said opening the door to step back through. “ I was,uh, just leaving.”

  Black tendrils shot out suddenly from the human woman and yanked him back inside where she pounced on top of him. His illusion faded instantly as she pinned him to the floor with a surprising strength no human should have, her hands moving to close around his throat, choking the air from him as he struggled against her.

  Her hands felt searingly hot, but the cell was too dark to see why. Too dark to notice a black shadow moving down them into Loki. He got his arms between hers and forced them outwards, finally breaking her hold. Surprisingly she just rolled limply off to the side as Loki quickly regained his feet, backing away and hurrying out into the corridor as he rubbed his still sore throat.

  He heard more footsteps and quickly got an idea, running from cell to cell to open each one, their inhabitants spilling into the halls as creatures of every shape and size, even more humans. That should keep them busy for awhile. He thought as he plunged on ahead, hearing the chaos behind him as the grunts encountered the now loose prisoners. Loki passed through door after door searching endlessly for a way out.

  **Go right.**   He thought he heard as voice say, no time to argue or think on it as left only held more grunts. He quickly dashed down the passageway to the right.

  **Left.**   Loki ducked through, but paused briefly, he had no idea where this voice was coming from. What if it was a trap?

  **It isn’t.**  That sounded exactly like something a trap would say, he thought with growing trepidation as he continued swiftly on. There just wasn’t enough time to think, certainly none to argue, and so far, the voice had yet to lead him into the grunt’s hands, so he continued following it’s lead, turning when it said, ducking and laying low just in time to avoid detection. He looked around from his hiding spot, searching for a speaker or a small being perhaps that he hadn’t seen. But there was nothing, he appeared to be completely alone.

 **Get up!** Well, that certainly hadn’t come from nobody. Great, the place was not only a prison, but a haunted one at that. At least the ghosts here were helpful.  
In There, quickly It urged and Loki opened a hatch and stepped inside a room. A room with a strange round steel arch sitting right in the middle of the room. He could clearly see the room on the other side of it, but knew a wormhole manipulator when he saw one. Quickly rushing to the pad before it he fired it up, looking at the pictures that would dial up a destination.

  “Where to ghost?” he asked listening for the voice.

**Anywhere but here.**

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Loki said closing his eyes and running his hand in random over the board.

  He cared not where he ended up, as the ghost said, anywhere would be better than here.  
The arch before him hummed to life, its rings spinning rapidly until a shimmering blue light suddenly erupted across its surface. Loki heard footsteps approaching and quickly brought his fist down upon the control board. He meant to only smash a few buttons, but surprisingly smashed the entire board, leaving a gaping dent in the center. Guess it wasn’t as well made as it appeared. He didn’t spend time musing over it, that wormhole would only hold for a few more seconds. He ran straight at it, diving through, his form disappearing just as the light stopped and the rings slowed to a halt.


	2. Chapter 2

 

  Loki would add Midgard to the places that he certainly didn’t wish to end up. Though, here he was in the middle of the night, in the middle of some ill begotten desert, and obviously in the middle of nowhere. Well, on the plus side, without the BiFrost, he could be certain that his so called family wouldn’t be visiting this realm anytime soon. He got to his feet slowly, traveling by wormhole was a nasty business, left you exhausted and all out of sorts after words. He felt a bit feverish, his head ached, and his stomach roiled uneasily, though if it was sickness or hunger, he’d yet to figure out. Norns knew when the last time was that he’d eaten.. Pressing his hands into the ache in the small of his back and stretched before dusting himself off and looking around, trying to get his bearings. There were lights in the distance to the north, that looked like a good place to start. Though he’d survived the trip relatively unscathed, he was ridiculously hungry.

  “Need a ride?”

  Loki eyed the lumbering machine that had pulled over in front of him skeptically, as he got closer, he eyed the man operating it even more so. However, if this would get him to his destination quicker, then why not.

  “Yes, thank you,” Loki said studying the side of the machine for just a moment before figuring out that the big shiny strip opened the entry hatch. It was a small pod, only two seats and his didn't come with any controls in front of it. Probably a good thing as he wasn't sure he would be of any use as a copilot.

  “What are you doing way out here in the middle of the night?” The man inquired as he got their transportation going. Loki had yet to source out how the man was guiding it, likely that large hoop he held, but was really too tired to even care. Preferring to stare out the window at the dark desert racing by.

  “This was where I landed,” Loki replied with a shrug.

  “Landed,” the man questioned with a half chuckle. “You mean somebody dropped you off way out here? Asshole!”

  Loki huffed out a laugh, he knew a derogatory term when he heard one. “I can't argue with you there.”

  They traveled on in relative silence for awhile, Loki watching the lights getting closer on the horizon. There was strange music emanating from speakers somewhere just by his leg, but the singers were dreadful and appeared to only recount songs about women leaving them or picked up trucks, whatever those were.

  He was just thinking that perhaps this human wasn't as bad as he'd initially suspected when the man piped up. “Ass or gas?”

  Loki was certain he didn't hear him correctly and turned to face him fully, his stomach already turning in unease. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Rides aren't free buddy,” the man was explaining,. “ So, you got any gas money?”

  “Gas… Money?” Loki clarified the word though had zero idea as to what it meant. “No, I do not possess any of this gas money.”

  ”Well then,” the man said, a far too pleased smile on his face as he undid his pants and pulled out his already stiffening cock. “You'd better get busy.”

  Loki narrowed his eyes, turns out his initial gut feeling was absolutely correct. He knew exactly what this human wanted and there was no way he was putting that in his mouth. “Surely you jest.”

  “Oh come now, pretty boy like you,” the man said reaching out to swipe his thumb at his passengers lip. Loki pulled away from the gesture in disgust. “Yeah, you know what to do.”

  “That I do,” Loki replied darkly, reaching over and taking the man's cock in his hand, giving it a few cursory strokes. Oh yes, it was already nice and firm in his grip. With a sneer he gripped it swiftly twisted, hearing the horrific pop as he ripped the appendage from it's owner's body.

  The man screamed hoarsely, staring in wide eyed horror at his member now held in his passengers hand. Ignoring the road completely as the car veered into the desert, ignoring the blood soaking through his pants and running down his leg. He could only scream in frozen terror at the site.

  Loki had had quite enough of that however, and quickly stuffed the meaty appendage straight into the man's gaping maw, pushing it in forcefully as far as it would go and delighting as he heard his stifled gag. He then reached around behind the man's head and forcefully shoved it forward and down, slamming it into the plastic looking hoop before him with enough force to crush in his skull and even bend the hoop ever so slightly.

  Well, that certainly shut him up, Loki thought smugly to himself, wiping the blood from his hand on the now deceased man's shirt.

  **Impressive**

  Loki frowned at the speaker by his leg and turned to release the hatch beside him. The motorized pod had now slowed considerably, apparently no good at riding over anything but the smooth road surface, and it was only another moment before it stopped and he stepped out, once again, into the desert. Well, at least he didn't have quite as far to walk now.


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

 

  The lights turned out to be a small town, he’d figured it would be. Though this late at night, it appeared as though all the shops and places to procure food were closed. He paused outside one such shop sporting the name of City Market and peered through the window at the food on the shelves inside. With a sigh he stepped back and immediately began looking for another way in, not noticing the dark reflection peering back at him with two giant tear shaped eyes. Well, surely for every front door there was a back one, and that could be opened without drawing too much attention, he thought as he followed the edge of the building around to an alley.

  All of a sudden, a human stepped into the alley behind him. Loki turned to eye the man curiously and noticed the metal object he held aimed at him. Loki recognized weapons when he saw them. He sighed in loathing, he was without his armor, so certainly was not weapon proof, however this human didn’t appear all that intent on actually using it. He could tell in how his eyes flicked nervously around, how his hand trembled ever so slightly, but mostly by his shitty aim. If Loki was correct in surmising that end pointed towards him did the nasty end of the business, then unless it had a fairly wide spread, it would only be doing the nasty business to the wall to his left.

  “Give me all your money,” The human demanded. Direct and to the point, Loki could admire these qualities, however, he had no idea what they were asking for. Though it must be pretty important to hold one at weapon demanding it.

  “Money? “ He questioned taking a step closer, “What is this money you speak of?”

  “Don’t play smart with me,” the man growled, grabbing Loki by the front of his tunic. “Now hand it over!”

   Loki frowned grabbing the man about the neck and lifting him easily off the ground., spinning easily in step and slamming the human into the side of the wall. His weapon clattering uselessly to the ground as the wind is knocked from him.

**Food**

   Loki quickly dropped the man, shaking his head and looking around. Surely the ghost hadn't followed him here. As far as he knew, ghosts didn’t travel via wormholes. Perhaps this alley was haunted as well. He quickly turned and stepped out of the alley, heading swiftly towards the other end of town.

 ****

  Loki's s hunger was growing and he’d never been so happy to see an open shop in his life. The name was odd, the building looked nothing like a house and he’d no idea what a waffle was other than a term meaning to be indecisive, but the smell emanating from it was really all he needed to know. It had food, wonderful, delicious food.

  He went in, noting all the empty seats and tables, unsure just how to proceed,when a woman behind the counter looked him up and down as if he'd just interrupted her plans for the night, which by the patron base was apparently to do nothing.

   “Sit anywhere you like honey,” She states and Loki quickly slid into a nearby booth. She placed a plastic menu before him and he’s thankful it has pictures. He’s not overly familiar with life on Midgard or its delicacies, this is more Thor’s territory. Or at least it was.

   “What are you drinking?” The woman asks standing beside him with an air of boredom. His eyes briefly take in the name on her name tag as being Lola before turning back to the menu. Interesting that the humans tagged their servants, actually quite efficient if you thought about it. 

   “Oh, water is fine,” Loki says then returns to perusing the menu.

   She returns shortly with a glass of water and waits expectedly, obvious awaiting his food order.  
“Do you know what you want?”

   “Uh no, sorry,” Loki said flipping over the menu and staring a bit wide eyed to see that there was even more choices to be had on the other side. Well it worked for the transporter, so why not again? Closing his eyes he places a finger on the menu before him.

   “Good choice, how do you want your hash browns?”

   Loki opened his eyes to see the picture his finger had landed on. Some form of meat patty sandwich with what appeared to be shredded browned vegetables of some sort before it. “Uh, just like this please,” He answered hopefully, not knowing if the vegetables or the sandwich was called hash browns.

   The waitress nodded and went to put in his order. Loki’s mouth was positively watering by the time she delivered the plate of food a few minutes later. He dived into the vegetables first, they were a bit bland,and normally he’d dress them up with seasoning, but for some reason, these were the best bland vegetables he’d ever tasted. He couldn’t stop eating them, shoveling them quickly into his mouth, chasing them down with water from time to time.

  However, It hardly put a dent in his hunger and as soon as they were gone, he turned to the sandwich. Taking a big bite, he only got in a few cursory chews before he was spitting it back out in disgust. It tasted, dead. Of course it did, that meat hadn’t been alive for quite sometime, though while Loki preferred his meat cooked, he couldn’t get the disgusting taste out of his mouth. It just tasted so...dead. He quickly chugged the rest of his water, trying to erase it when the servant woman returned.

   “How is everything?” Lola asked refilling his water.

   “This meat is dead,” Loki stated in disgust.

   “I’d sure hope so,” the woman chuckled as if Loki had made a joke. “Can I get ya anything else?”

   “Yes, more of these vegetables.”

   “More hash browns?” She clarified, and at least Loki now knew what they were called. “Just one more order, or do you want it doubled?”

   “Oh doubled please,” Loki said already getting excited at the thought as he lifted his plate and handed it to the woman. “You can take this, I won’t be eating that.”

   “Suit yourself.” She shrugged taking the plate away with her as she placed Loki’s order with the cook. Which as he watched, seemed very inefficient, as the cook was a mere two feet from him. He could have placed his own order really, especially now that he knew what those vegetables were called.

   Hash browns, he thought to himself, rolling their name around in his mind as the waitress returned a short time later with another heaping plate full of them.

   “Here ya go hun,” She said delivering the food, Loki grabbed her arm to stall her before she retreated again.

   “Pardon me, uh what vegetable are these sourced from?” Loki asked curiously.

   “You ain’t never had a potato hunny?” Lola barked with laughter, now she was just being rude. “Where you from?”

   “Not here,” Loki stated releasing her arm and turning to begin feasting upon these potatoes. If they were back on Asgard, he'd have her tossed out on the streets for showing such blatant disrespect to a prince of Asgard. But, he wasn't a prince, not anymore, and this certainly wasn't Asgard.

   “That’s obvious,” She returned, going back to chat with the chef. Obviously about him, it was difficult not to hear them as he was the only person here. He heard the word foreigner being tossed about, and deduced from their conversation, that it referred to someone not local. Though whether it was a bad term or good, he’d yet to work that out.

   She returned just as he was finishing and left a small slip of paper by his plate. Loki picked it up and looked at it curiously. Seeing strange word abbreviations, one he sussed out easily enough as being the hash browns, but the numbers after it were all confusion. Was that the number of potatoes he’d eaten?

   “Pardon me,” he asked getting to his feet. “What is this again?”

   “That’s your bill,” Lola said flatly, her hands moving to set at her waist in a gesture Loki recognized as trouble. “Don’t tell me that you ain’t got no money?”

   “I beg your pardon?” Loki asked unsure what the woman had just said, but recognizing her tone as threatening.

   “Money,” She repeated in exasperation. “To pay for your food! You know, cash, dinero!”

  Loki glanced back at his empty plate, apparently, this money that these humans were going on about was used in trade of goods and services. Well, he obviously had none, but he didn’t like the way the cook was now eyeing him as well. However, there was still a full counter between him and them, and he was much closer to the door.


	4. Chapter 4

 

  Running away from humans was not the high point in his life. Seems he did an awful lot of running away lately. Though, he certainly needed to procure some of this money so he could do a bit less of it. He turned to cut down another alley, only to have a human jump out suddenly from beside a dumpster, meaning to tackle him. Loki hadn’t been paying much attention, focusing more on listening to see if he was being followed, but found his feet moving swiftly, seemingly of their own accord to twist out of the way. The man falling to the dirty pavement beside him, his knife clattering out of his hand. What was it with these humans? Were they all so aggressive at night here?

  Loki reached down and snatched up the knife, as his attacker turned to hold his hands up as he peered up at Loki from his seat on the ground. Loki instantly took advantage of his upper hand, remembering the human from earlier with another weapon.

   “Give me your money,” Loki demanded, holding his hand out expectantly.

   “Yeah, sure thing man,” The man blubbered as he quickly pulled a folded bit of leather from his back pocket, pulling several strips of green paper from it and placing them in Loki’s hand.

  Loki stared at the paper curiously, so this was this money? It seemed so….unimpressive. He wondered just how much monies he actually possessed here. The man thought his attacker to be distracted and reached out to snatch his leg, trying to regain the upper hand. Loki moved quickly, jumping to avoid his grasp. He landed and kicked the human firmly in the gut, sending him flying into the wall behind him where he hit with a thunk and crumpled unconsciously to the asphalt.

**Hungry**

   Loki whipped his head around, searching for the source of the voice. Great, another haunted alley. Was Midgard just full of them? But that voice sounded the same as the ghost from the prison. Come to think of it, it also sounded like the ghost from the previous alley. Which meant he was being followed after all.

   “Sorry, I just ate,” Loki replied, though come to think of it, he was awfully hungry again already. So strange, he’d thought those hashed browns would be more filling.

  **FOOD!** The ghost voice demanded more insistently.

  “Look, ghost, I have no idea why you’re following me. I have no food, I’m sorry. Unless you want to eat this guy” he half joked stuffing the monies into his breeches.

   Just then he became overcome with a strange sensation, the feeling of being enveloped in a great warmth as though a blanket was folding over him. He wanted to fight back, to push it away, but his arms were no longer under his control, none of him was. The warmth closed around him and he was hit with the surreal sensation of being in another being’s body, watching their actions and unable to stop them as they stalked straight over to the human. Their mouth already salivating hungrily as they opened it wide. Loki cringed in disgust at the sound of teeth crunching through bone and kept his eyes shut until he felt the cool night breeze on his skin again.

   He was now sitting in the alley, back in total control of his extremities, but the sharp iron like taste of blood still lingered on his tongue. The human was nowhere to be seen. Of course he wasn’t, he’d just eaten him. Loki climbed swiftly back to his feet.

  “What in Helheim?! “He exclaimed looking around as his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Did that just happen? Did he just eat a human? No, it was the ghost. “I’m possessed!” He deduced placing a horrified hand over his mouth as he stared back at the empty space where the human once lie. “That’s just perfect! I’ve been possessed by a ghost! ”

    **GHOST??!!**

  Loki stepped back at the thunder of the voice in his head, suddenly a black ooze flowed out from somewhere behind him and Loki continued retreating backwards,ignoring the crunch of paper that littered the alley and trying to evade it as a great snakelike head appeared before him. He felt his back hit the alley’s opposite wall and held his breath as the creature materialized It’s two giant tear shaped, white eyes, completely devoid of pupils, that rippled and seemed to narrow as it gazed upon him. It’s mouth spreading into a wide grin, splitting its head nearly in two as it’s lips parted over twin rows of jagged razor sharp teeth. ‘The better to eat you with my dear’, the old youngling rhyme wickedly came to mind as the face now hovered mere inches from Loki’s own, but he refused to flinch from it. If he was to meet his death, then he would meet it boldly.

    **Oh no, I won’t be eating you Loki, not anytime soon anyway.** The creature purred as if reading his very thoughts.

   “How, How do you know my name? He asked holding it’s gaze firmly and feeling an odd pique of curiosity. He'd never seen or heard of such a creature in all his years.

    **Because, I am inside you,** came the answer from inside his head. He now definitely recognized the voice from the prison.

   “You, you helped me to escape.” Loki announced, his eyes dropping to follow the trail of black the lead from the floating head to where it entered his body, just behind his shoulder.

    **Helped us escape,** The creature corrected smoothly, an odd clicking coming from what Loki guessed was it's throat as it stared calmly at the man before it.

   “What are you?”

    **Not what, who.** The creature hissed drawing Loki’s attention back forward as it surged forth a bit, causing the Asgardian to take a step backwards, firmly into the wall. **I am Venom and you are mine.**

   “Yours?” Loki spat in challenge at that. “So you thought that you'd just hitch a ride using my body? I think not!”

  Knife still in hand he moved to swipe at the thinner trail of tendrils, meaning to sever the head cleanly, however the knife hardly made a cut. The tendrils reattaching easily where he'd sliced.  Throwing it down, he gathered his magic, the green light glowing from his fingers as he placed them over his chest, meaning to extract this beast straight from himself using any means he can think of. Instead he finds himself suddenly thrown against the wall behind him, arms pinned, his feet dangling off the ground as the creature holds him in place. He struggled against it’s grip momentarily, his fingers still glowing brighter. He will not be bested by this ridiculous-,  suddenly the beast stalls him with a single name.

  **Heimdall**

  Loki quickly cuts off his magic, staring at Venom in disbelief. “How do you know about Heimdall?”

  **I know what you know Loki. I know that if you use that much magic Heimdall could see us, find us. We do not want this.**

  Venom wasn’t wrong, the last thing Loki wanted was to come in contact with his supposed family right now. The ones who’d all left him to rot in that prison. “We? Just because you're squatting inside me, there's a we now?”

  **Not just inside of you, I am a part of you now. I know you,your thoughts, your memories,**  Venom continued smoothly, **I feel what you feel, you feel what I feel.**

  “Cold?” Loki asks with a bit of smug satisfaction

  **You are indeed colder than the humans on this planet, I need not worry about overheating your system like my previous hosts, however you are not from this planet.**

  “Obviously. So, I helped you escape and you what, live inside me until you find another host to habitate and move on?”

  **Perhaps, though you are proving to be quite valuable.** The creature said, it’s head weaving slowly back and forth as it spoke, as though evaluating Loki closer.

  “There's plenty who would disagree with that statement.” Loki spat averting his gaze as the sharp pain twinged in his chest. The sadness of being tossed aside so easily once the truth had been revealed was still like a raw and open wound.

  Venom rumbles a bit perturbed from within, but Loki brushes it off.  If he knows him so well being inside his head and all, then he can see he isn't lying in the slightest. Loki is slowly lowered to the ground as his arms are once again released to him. The head once again disappearing behind his back and sending a shudder through him as he feels it resettling within him. It's curious he didn't notice it there before, like a heavy weight in his core and nestling in the back of his mind. He'd likely been too distracted with everything to really notice, or had just chalked it up to after affects of being poked and prodded relentlessly under that mad mans hold. A mad man he also was none too keen to ever see again.

   “Well, if we wish to remain free from whomever our captor was, then we should probably get as far away from this city as possible,” Loki stated straightening his tunic as he spoke. “Though I have a feeling it will take a lot more of these monies to get us far enough away.”

  **So we get more of this money and I get more to eat.**

   Loki cringed at the thought of eating more humans, but looked around thoughtfully. He couldn’t exactly wait for more humans to come to him, he would have to draw them out. His gaze dropped and landed on the open magazine he’d stepped on, a picture of a busty redhead in a tight red dress gracing the page before him.

  **That trick where you changed appearance, that was very clever.**

  “Indeed” he thought smirking a bit as an idea occurred to him, though whether it was his or Venom’s idea, he didn't know, nor care, it could just work.


	5. Chapter 5

 

  Loki smirked as several sets of eyes turned to watch the redhead walk in, following her as she stepped up to the bar and seated herself next to a young man.

   “Well hello there,” The man greeted, eyeing her up and down, his eyes landing several times upon her ample breast. “Can I buy you a drink pretty lady?” He asks already ordering the barkeep to deliver said liquid in front of the woman.

   “Thank you,” Loki says, smiling demurely and tucking her hair behind one ear. “I am not from around here.”

   “Well that’s obvious,” the man returns, watching the lady finger with the cool glass that’s placed before here. “Where you from?”

   “Where are you from?” Loki asks , turning the question on the man as she turns her attention towards him, raising the drink to her lips, taking a sip. It’s wretched, and it takes everything he has in him just to swallow without breaking character.

   “If you couldn’t tell from the accent, I’m from New York,” The man chuckles, turning a bit on his stool to face the gorgeous woman. “I'm Scott.”

   “Lola,” Loki greeted remembering the name tag of the servant back at the House of Waffles.

 

  This was far too easy, it took no time at all before the man was spilling all his knowledge about New York. How it was hundreds of miles away, which he surmised was quite far, how the buildings were so high they often sat in the clouds, how there were millions of people there, how the city was open any time day or night. It sounded perfect. Plenty of people meant that it would be easier to hide should their captor come searching for them. Though, Venom merely thought it sounded delicious. Before too long, the man was inviting Loki back to New York with him. She of course obliged and was soon lead away to his “car”, a mechanical chariot that was disturbingly still behind Asgard’s technology.

   “I just have to make a quick stop to pick up some supplies,” The man insisted, driving out to the edge of town, his hand resting on Loki’s leg the entire time, slowly creeping further and further up it as their ride progressed. Loki felt a strange sensation as though a tendril were wrapping about her waist, though there was none visible when he glanced down.

    **Eat him Now?**

   Loki considered, it, nobody would see way out here. However she was yet curious as to these supplies the man was getting and she had no idea where this New York was.  
  “No,” she said aloud placing a hand upon the man’s to stall any further progress. “Let’s hold off just a little while longer.”

  “Oh I can wait, sweetheart,” Scott assured her, thinking Loki’s words were for him. “Don’t you worry. “

  He parked under a bridge by an expressway where another of these cars was already waiting. Loki stayed in the car, but saw as several bags were loaded into his trunk. A few minutes later they were rolling again. Loki didn’t see much she recognized as they drove up this ‘interstate’, but she knew enough to recognize that they were headed North east. Seeming to go for hours before the man pulled into a hotel for the night.

 

*******

**I'm beginning to like you Loki, most hosts are a bit more stubborn about allowing me to feed on live beings. You're a natural.**

  “Well, when you find out that you are nothing, it's far more beneficial to discard your heart and cast away such sentimentality.” Loki mused, now back in his natural masculine form as he looked over the monies he had procured from Scott’s wallet, just prior to letting Venom have his meal. “You're either the hunter or the prey, are you not?”

  **Indeed,** Venom hummed though Loki could feel an at odds discomfort within him. Like feeling a lie, though if it was his words or the creature's he felt the disbelief in, he didn't know. However that was not something he really wanted to delve into.

  “Besides, these humans, I care not about them, this realm is overrun by them. However, one might ascertain than some may be missed, they do seem to pack bond rather easily, and that would draw unwanted attention. Though a lowlife such as this surely won't be missed anytime soon.” He stated in disgust as he pulled the picture ID from the wallet and looked it over. Scott had told him everything on his drive to here. It was so easy to get men to spill their guts when there was a pretty face attached to ample breasts. Loki had asked him what he did for money, and Scott had told her about picking up the drugs from his dealer that brought them straight from a place called Mexico. Something he was quite proud of apparently. Even offering Loki a sample as soon as they got back to the hotel. Loki had no idea what these particular drugs were used for, but had an idea that they weren’t the healing sort. All the while that Scott talked, Loki watched what she could on the intricacies of operating one of these cars, where the shiny metal tabs went, which foot worked the accelerator, the giant hoop used for steering. Though it was dark, so some of the details were difficult to make out.

  **Then we shall find more of these Low Lifes to feast upon**

  “From my knowledge Midgard is full of them.” Loki surmised. “And from what Scott said, they all live in New York. It should be the perfect place to lay low and blend in.”

   Loki set about rifling through the now deceased Scott’s things, pausing as he opened a bag, there's another set of small metal sticks and clothes, but they shouldn’t be this heavy. Pushing aside the clothes he smiles as he sees the source of the weight, monies. Lots and lots of monies. “Oh, I think this will do nicely.” He muses as he re-closes the bag and sets the car keys on top. Getting himself comfortable to rest for the night, now that his belly is feeling much fuller.

*********

  Venom feels Loki’s heart rate accelerate, rousing him from rest and he emerges quickly, looking around the still dark room for the source of danger. Loki is afraid, though there’s nothing here to be afraid of. The room is still and quiet, there’s no one else here.

  **Stop being afraid,** Venom thinks impatiently as he oozes back inside to see what his host is thinking. He can see the dream then, Loki hanging precariously from the end of the staff, below him empty space awaits. Can hear his petulant words, begging the man above him to recognize him, to accept him. But the man denies him and Loki, much to Venom’s dismay, let’s go of the staff.

   The symbiote quickly encircles his host in coils of tentacles, swaddling him in his sleep as he works to erase the nightmare before it travels any further. Urging the man’s heart to slow and warming his muscles into relaxation until he’s once again slumbering calmly. Venom does not like this picture dream, even less as he recognizes it as a memory. He will be more conscious and watchful of it in the future to stop it before it rises to the surface again.


	6. Chapter 6

 

  Loki wakes slowly, feeling as though someone is tracing fingers along his skin. He easily recognizes the pattern and frowns a bit.

 **These lines, do they serve as camoflage?** Venom asks curiously, knowing his host is awake.

  “They're ancestral lines, they serve to show your lineage on Jotunheim, a form of status If you will,” Loki explains patiently as he looks down at his bare chest, seeing neither the fingers he was feeling or his Jotun lines.

  **Ah, so you used to be a prince of this Jotunheim,** Venom continues obviously accessing his thoughts now, it's touch still grazing seemingly just below the surface of Loki's skin

  “No,” Loki quickly corrects in disgust at the thought. “ I was raised as a prince of Asgard only to discover that I am the bastard unwanted son of neither realm.”

   The sensation of fingers stop then.

  **This is why you wanted to end your life?**

  “Want,” Loki stated firmly, he still does and all this talk about his so called heritage is only serving to open the wound wider.

  **You die, I die, I will not let that happen Loki,** Venom retorted firmly

  “Ah but you're going to shed my carcass as soon as you find another far more suitable host in New York,” Loki reminded him smoothly, even his own parents had not wanted him apparently, nor had his adoptive ones. Surely this creature would see soon enough that he was a terrible option for a host himself.

**Perhaps.**

  Loki doesn't like the sound of that but decides he is not in the mood to argue. The creature will move on eventually.

  **Not Creature, symbiote,** Venom says reminding Loki that he is never alone in his thoughts. No matter, they need to get moving to find this New York.

   He dresses quickly, Scott's clothes fit him well enough, only the pants needing a bit of magical altering, taking the bag of monies and pocketing the ID, he returns to the car outside. The sun is a bit blinding and he squints against it as he uses the metal sticks to open the rear hatch as he’d seen Scott do just the night prior. The entire trunk is full of bread loaf sized bags of a strange white powder. This must be the drugs Scott was so proud of. Finding nothing of further use, he closes it and climbs into the driver seat, placing the metal stick into the slot alongside the guiding hoop, again, just as he'd seen Scoot do the day prior when he was studying his actions with guiding this vessel.

  “Well, here goes nothing,” He says aloud as he turns the key and the mechanical contraption roars into life.

************

**You are a terrible driver.**

  "You did not fare much better my friend,” Loki reminds him as he stands on the shore of the lake, staring at the spot where the car disappeared mere moments ago. He’s soaking wet, having narrowly escaped when they hit the water, but fortunately had thought well enough to also grab the bag of monies just before diving out.

  **Friend,** Venom rumbles a bit curious but Loki thinks nothing of it. **What now?**

  “Well now, looks like we walk,” Loki announced matter of factly.

**We?**

  “Well we obviously can't drive and there's no horses around which to ride, so yes, we walk.” He reiterated as he set off up the road. Feeling a strange warmness cocoon him. He wasn’t cold, not really, but this was nice.

************

  Loki changes to a feminine appearance as he nears the next town, just his usual dark headed female form, figuring it's best not to waste any more magic than is necessary. He spots another of these house of waffles and tightens his grip on his bag. At least he'd be able to procure more of these hashed browns.

  This one is busier, it's midday and most of the booths are filled with humans eating their lunches. Loki spots an empty seat at the bar before her and seats herself between two men. Assessing them easily in the few seconds it takes to cross from the door to the chair. Both a bit softer in the middle, older clothes with a few stains and holes here and there, hair hasn't been recently trimmed, though both kept it under a hat off similar fashion, nor have they shaved in at least two days. Working men, but not laborers, so that hopefully meant transporters.

  She seats herself between them, placing the bag between her feet where nobody can steal it and while leaning over, adjusts her dress to show more of her ‘assets’ and bait one of them in.

  “Well hey there darlin’,” the man to the left of her greets as she straightens up. Loki smirks a bit before changing it to her most charming smile. These human males were nothing if predictable. “You from around here?”

  “Just passing through,” Loki explains, politely.

  “Oh yeah, where you headed?” The man continued prying, though Loki had no difficulty seeing where his eyes kept drifting, or the way his tongue darted out to lick his lips hungrily.

  “New York,” she replied honestly. “At least if I can find a ride, that is.”

  “Well, you're in luck there pretty lady,” the man announced far too happily. “I'm headed that way myself. Name's Dave.”

  “Dave,” Loki greeted taking the man's offered hand. “I'm Lola.”

  “Lola,” the man repeated to clarify. “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

   “Oh the pleasures all mine,” Loki purred with a devious smirk.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter talks of m/f sexual interaction, don't worry, it's glossed over. But if you don't like, skip to the last section.

 

  Dave turned out to be alright for a human, buying Lola all the hashed browns she could eat. Three plates full, remarking that she must not have eaten for quite awhile. Lola didn't share that she'd snacked on Scott just the night prior, and while the hashed browns didn't sate the hunger inside as a human meal would've, it at least dulled it.

  He then guided her to his transporter, a large metal machine apparently called a truck that towered over the cars around them. He was even polite enough to assist Lola as she climbed on board, his hand firmly planted in her ass as he did so, of course. Dave liked to talk, a lot,  regaling Lola with story after story of places he'd been, apparently important people he'd met, and even about the different companies he'd worked for. Which was fine as he apparently didn't care if Lola said much in return, which she didn't.

  Despite being boringly overly verbal, he never once whipped out his cock as they drove, demanding any oral favors. Though Loki could tell that he thought about it, the way he checked her out constantly, his eyes on her breasts more than her face. So it came as no surprise when they stopped for that evening that the human made his move, fumbling at her bosom as he pulled her into the sleeping area located behind the seats of his truck. His mouth sucking greedily at her skin as he undid her dress, all the while Lola is being certain to make the appropriate sounds of shared lust.  
  
  It's then that she feels a great distaste rising in her, a surging of the symbiote's will and has to push back against it.

  **Loki, let me eat him**. Venom insisted

  “Shhhh,” Loki shushed firmly back at the creature within, not needing the distraction right now. Dave paused and looked at Lola curiously “Now just be quiet darling and let me work”  
 

  The human smiled thinking the words for him, though Loki can feel Venom grumbling as it recedes further into her body. If the symbiote doesn't like what's happening, it's going to like the next part even less.

 

*********

**Why do you mate with this human?**

  “I'm not mating with anyone,” Loki retorts softly from where she's sitting in the front seat of the truck, staring out the window at the world of Midgard before her. They stopped for the night at some place called a truck stop, a docking bay of sorts to refuel and rest among other similar conveyances. Loki half considered trading in Dave for a different trucker, but as humans go, this one was both easily manipulated and managed, and he finished swiftly in other matters as well. A perk if ever there was one in all this. “It's merely a trick, a means to an end. Unless you have any other ideas on how we can get to New York?”

  **We?**  Venom again questioning his host’s apparent ease of accepting them as one

   “Yeah, _We_. Unless you changed your mind, perhaps you find this human more suited to your needs? I suppose he is more mobile.” Loki mused glancing back at the crack in the curtain at the slumbering human behind her.

  **Of course I don't.**   Venom snapped back instantly as if insulted by the idea. **We will go to New York.**

  Loki shrugs, returning her gaze to the strange world before her. Behind her, Dave snores contentedly.

**********

  Lola performed her ‘trick’ again in the morning, just before breakfast. Afterwards, Dave bringing them sugary baked goods called doughnuts to eat, Lola preferring the dark colored ones that were apparently ‘chocolate’. She performed again at lunch, making it oral this time, then again that night with a combination of oral and regular sex, and though she didn't particularly get pleasure from it, there was a bit of mirthful joy it brought her as she felt Venom's growing displeasure at each act. Riling the creature up into a building storm carried a certain sense of excitement with it

  Dave had pulled over a bit after dusk into a resting area just above the city, the lights showing brighter than Loki had ever seen. The buildings reaching their spires far into the stars above as if the humans were attempting to reach the heavens themselves.

  He'd barely uttered the words announcing that it was New York, before the symbiote surged forward. It enveloped Loki in a breath and devoured the man with the gusto of a starving monster. Though obvious hunger aside, Loki knew exactly why Venom had been so eager to end this human. The knowledge that he'd pushed the symbiote's buttons bringing him a bit of smug satisfaction as the dark form receded and he set off on foot.  
  
 ***********************

  **I don't like that trick** Venom grumbled as they walked the roadside, heading towards the glow if the city,

  “It got us where we needed to go,” Loki returned easily, now back in his more masculine form. “ I've done worse.”

  **I know, I do not like worse either**  Loki gave a small shrug as though it didn't bother him, but Venom wouldn't let it go that easy.  
**You did not find any pleasure in that trick either.**

  “No, only because he was lousy in bed. There can however be much pleasure derived from it, “ Loki informed bringing up memories if it knew that he'd done worse in his past, then this should be easy to share, dredging up some of his previous sexual exploits with far more experienced lovers. Though all in his usual masculine form and most were male, his preferred sexual partner.

**I see, these other mates were not so lousy in bed.**

  “They were hardly mates, they were mere acquaintances. A means to scratch an itch if you will.” Loki explained.

  **You are right, this was a lousy choice. I would be better.**

  “You would not have gotten us to New York “ Loki replied thinking nothing of Venom’s flippant words, taking them for empty posturing. Something he'd heard Thor do far too many times to pay attention to. Still he felt a possessive flare up from the symbiote and an odd tightening sensation as though being held about the waist again.

  **We will Not be doing that trick again**

  “We? I had assumed you would be looking for another host once we got here.” Loki returned with a scowl.

**Oh no Loki, you are far too good of a match to throw away so soon. Plus, I am starting to like you.**

  “Sentimentality,” Loki scoffed but couldn't help but to feel a bit bolstered at the thought of earning this symbiote's favor for some reason. “That will only get you killed you know.”

   No answer only that steady hold tightening just a bit around his midsection as though being hugged by a very large snake and a sense of, what was that, possessiveness coming from the symbiote. Curious.


	8. Chapter 8

 

  Loki studied the ID in his hand, he needed to find Scott's abode, but had to source what all the writing on here meant in order to do it. The top line was his name obviously. Then there was the numbers 1251 19th Street, #801, followed by the name of the place written twice for some reason, New York New York. Humans were positively ridiculous sometimes.

  Well, the roads and paths were all named, and some were numbered, so it took him no time at all to figure out that 19th Street was the name of the road where this place was located. And as he walked, he noticed numbers on the buildings, so that must be the 1251. Perfect, so he just needed to locate building 1251 on 19th Street.

  He looked up at the green street sign above him, he was currently standing on the corner of 101st street and Marley Avenue. So did the numbers go up or down if he went North?

**A map would help.**

  “That's obvious,” Loki replied dryly. “Do you see one?”

  To his surprise the answer came back **Yes.**

  Loki felt his self being turned until he spotted the map on the back of a strange stall that held a bench inside.

  “Ahhhh perfect,” he crowed feeling the satisfaction resonating from the creature within as he studied the roads listed. “Right, so if we cut straight through this park here in the middle, the street we seek should be just on the other side.”

 

  Cutting through the park at night proved to be an interesting idea, though not really a challenge for them. It was mostly deserted, a few shadier looking humans wandering about here and there, and the one human that approached and attempted to take the bag from Loki, merely served as a midnight snack for Venom. However the park did turn out to be larger than the map had represented. The first streaks of morning sun were just lighting the sky as they stood before the giant grey building with the numbers 1251 plastered over it's door in brass numbers. A woman sat alongside the front wall, plastic bags of clothes and other items to her side. Loki had seen a few of these people as they traveled, figuring out pretty quickly that they were essentially vagrants, living on the streets and carrying their belongings wherever they went.

**Snack**

  “Perhaps later,” Loki said side eyeing the woman before turning back towards the building, eager to be at the end of this journey.

  Loki climbed the steps, smiling at their resourcefulness thus far and pulled on the handle. Locked, of course. He opened his bag and pulled out the metal sticks, thinking surely one would gain them access, however he soon realized that there was no holes in which to put them. Glancing around he noticed a keypad to his right and frowned, a coded lock, just perfect.

  **Use your magic to open it.** Venom piped up from inside his head.

  “Wow, such a clever idea,” Loki replied sarcastically as he approached the pad of numbered buttons, knowing such a small flare of magic wouldn’t attract any unwanted attention. “It's almost as if I thought of it.”

  **But you didn't, I did.**

  Loki opened his mouth to retort when suddenly a woman came bursting out the door, long coat wrapping tightly about her as she bustled on her way, completely oblivious to the trim man standing just outside it as she focused on hurrying off to wherever it was she was going. Loki quickly grabbed the now open door with a smug grin, there no need for magic after all. He felt the grumbling from the symbiote within and it only made him smile broader.

  Once inside, he deduced that the next numbers on the ID must coincide with Scott's particular chambers, and after investigating a couple of floors, figured out that they also coincided with what level they were on. Needles to say, he was quite tired after traversing 8 flights of steps, especially given that they'd just been walking all night to get here as well. Fortunately, quarters number 801 did have a keyhole and he soon found the appropriate metal stick to open it.

  As far as chambers go, he'd seen worse. There was a long sitting couch in the middle, a galley cooking station to the right, bookshelves full of books, surprising as he'd not taken Scott for the reading type, a few large windows letting in light, and to the back, a room with a proper bed and another smaller bathroom. Though no bathing pool, perhaps that's what the plastic looking trough was for, unless they still practiced communal bathing here, though he doubted that.

   Loki sighed and returned to the bedroom, he could think of nothing more that he wanted right now except for a good night's sleep. Quickly he stripped out of the clothes he'd been in and and flopped bonelessly onto the mattress. Already drifting off to sleep as the black tendrils oozed out of his back and wrapped him in their warmth.

 

**************

  Venom watched everything as Loki slept, he watched his heart rate, his breathing, his temperature, but mostly he watched his dreams. Keeping an eye on his thoughts for the memories that bothered them so. He hated those memories, wanted to gobble them up so Loki would never see them anymore. So they'd never feel them anymore. For now, he could just be ready when they appeared to chase away by soothing his host as he slept, holding him safely in his coils until he awoke.


	9. Chapter 9

 

  "Right," Loki announces looking at the stacks of green paper now arranged before him on the coffee table. He’d already been at this for 2 hours, but finally felt like he was possibly getting somewhere. They should have enough of this monies if they can figure out what each green sheet of paper stands for. “I think I’ve got it, the numbers on each piece of paper represent the amount of monies that it stands for. “

 **Then what are those little round bits for ?** The Symbiote asked curiously, indicating the pile of coins off to one side. It's head floating beside Loki from where it had extended to eye the monies quizzically as it's host attempted to sort it all out.

   “I don’t know,” Loki lamented, sighing in defeat as he looked over one particular silver piece. It doesn’t make sense. He’d looked them over a dozen times or more and was honestly getting no further in understanding their purpose. “Why is there both? This says Quarter Dollar, is this the same as the One Dollar but in metal form?”

   He’s pulled from his thoughts as there’s a knock at the door. Strange, he thinks glancing at Venom before the creature retreats back inside as he goes to investigate who could possibly be visiting. He opened the door to be greeted by a tall, well muscled blond. He’d remind him of his brother if it weren’t for the short hair and the friendliest grin he’d ever seen plastered on a human before.

  “Oh, hey,” The man greets jovially. “I’m Steve, uh Steven Rogers.” Steve informed holding out his hand, Loki merely held eye contact and raised an eyebrow, waiting for this Steven Rogers to get to the point. After a moment, he retracted his hand, though his smile remained as he continued. ” I live just across the hall. I thought I heard voices and was curious, is Scott back?” He, peered past Loki, looking over his shoulder into the apartment, as though expecting to see Scott.

   “Uh, no,” Loki replied still trying to figure this far too curious human out. “He sent me to watch over his...uh..” He twisted back a bit and gestured emptily to the chambers, certain they weren’t called that, but he was unsure as to the proper term for them.

   “Oh so you’re house sitting,” Steve filled in easily as if on cue. However, when Loki had leaned back he caught sight of the money stacked upon the table and it gave him pause. He suspected Scott was up to no good and had warned him that whatever he was into, he had better not bring it home and this looked like it could be a part of that. His smile fell as his gaze narrowed.

   “Yes, I am house sitting,” Loki replied with a smile, watching Steve’s curious shift in demeanor.

   “When is Scott getting back again?” Steve asked now eyeing Loki a bit more closely. He’d caught the foreign accent, though nothing else about him immediately screamed danger.

   “Your guess is as good as mine,” Loki stated, flashing his neighbor a hopefully pleasant smile. This Steven could turn out to be a problem he didn't need. Best to get rid of him. “ I’ve honestly no idea, though if I see him, I shall be sure to inform him that you stopped by neighbor Steven.”

   Loki moved to close the door, only to find a firm hand stalling it’s progress. Now he really was curious.

   “That’s uh, quite a bit of money you’ve got there,” Steve says gesturing to the coffee table in sight behind the leaner man. “ Is there something I should know?”

   Ah, the monies, of course. Loki had no excuse ready for that, so opts for the truth, visibly deflating a bit as he sighs and hopes this ‘foreigner’ role will help him out of this one. If not well…

  **I can eat him.** Venom suggested easily.

   “No,” Loki replies to both at the same time, though was considering it as an option. This Steven seemed far more inquisitive than he’d like. “ I was just attempting to sort out how to properly use it. I’m not from here and am finding this far more complicated than it should be. For instance, what is this?” He asks holding up a small silver coin that he’d been studying when Steven knocked. Fortunately the truth actually works, Stevens entire demeanor changes back to that of a friendly dog.

   “Oh yeah, I caught the accent,” Steven says now smiling brightly again. It did look quite good on him, that smile. Perhaps....

    **No more of those tricks, Loki!** Venom growls and Loki feels as though he’s being pulled away from the door a bit. To which Steven just takes as an invite to enter.

   “And that, is a quarter,” He announces as he steps through to do a good deed by helping his neighbor’s friend figure out all this foreign money he’d obviously just exchanged. He was honestly so happy it wasn’t what he’d thought, and thinking back now, he felt foolish for even worrying. “Here, let me help you figure this all out.”

   “Ah thank you Steven,” Loki says mentally pushing the symbiote to ease up. This Steven could be quite useful after all. “I don’t know what we’d have done without you here to aid us.”

   “And we are?” Steve asked curiously, not expecting there to be more than one person here.

   “Oh, my apologies, Loki,” Loki greets, using his real name because, well, the truth seemed to work thus far.

   “Loki, nice to meet you,” Steve replied shrugging off the _we_ bit for now. If there was somebody else here, he’d meet them eventually. He immediately dives into explaining the different amounts of money that Loki has, explaining how each number on the paper represents the amount it stands for. To which Loki had already figured, but lets him continue anyway, having Loki repeat it back and even quizzing him a bit by holding up different dollars and asking the man guess to their worth. To which Loki was doing quite well, if he did say so himself.

  “As for the change,” Steven continued patiently. “You really should just ignore it for now.”

  **I should ignore you and be eating right now.** The symbiote grumbled

  “Not yet,” Loki barks, then quickly smiles at Steve, urging him to continue. “ I wish to learn all of it.”

  “Alright,” Steve says with a shrug, grabbing a copper coin off the table. “So this is a penny, or one cent. It takes 10 of these to make one of these,” holds up the dime Loki gave him,” 25 to make one of these”,a quarter, “and a hundred to make one of these, “holds up a dollar.

  “That'sssss complicated,” Loki agreed looking a bit worried as he tried to memorize all of it.

  “It is, but don’t worry,” Steve said clapping him amicably on the shoulder, to which Loki had to suddenly stall the creature within from emerging with sheer will. “You’ve got the basics, so for now, why don't you just put all your change into a jar, oh like this one," Steve says grabbing a large vase off the bookshelf. “There, now you can just carry the dollars, you have plenty to make it without needing change as well oh, and I wouldn't carry all of that, maybe like $40 or so.”

   “Do I have enough?” Loki asked looking over his stacks of monies with a bit of concern.

    **We can get more from our meals,** Venom interjected smoothly.

   “Yes,” Loki said as if to answer himself. “I mean is this a lot of monies? Should it last awhile, or should I get more?”

    **Yes.** Loki nearly rolled his eyes at the creature's blatant eagerness to have any excuse to go hunt.

   “Oh no, this is plenty,Loki,” Steve assured him glancing it over. “More than enough to last several months I’d say. In fact, I’d probably hide most of this away and not leave it laying out like this.”

  “Got it, Thank you Steven. “ Loki said walking him back to the door. “Scott never told me that he had such a helpful neighbor.”

   “Well, to be honest, we didn’t exactly get along,” Steve admits truthfully with a small shrug.

    Loki thinks back to his early victim and how opposite the smug man had been to this kind gentleman. It was no mystery that they wouldn’t have gotten along.

  “Shocker.” Loki replies sarcastically with a small wink, feeling that odd sensation of coils wrapping around him as he did.

   Steve just chuckles as he steps out. “Hey, if you need anything, anything at all, I’m just across the hall.”

   “Thank you Steven, we shall remember that.” He closed the door after, leaving Steve eyeing it curiously as he did. There was that strange use of ‘ _we_ ’ again. Though as far as he could ascertain, Loki was alone here. Could just be a weird personality quirk. He’d find out for sure if somebody else showed up in the next few days.

**********

**We should eat him.**

   “About that,” Loki questioned a bit perturbed. “Why are we so voracious? I used to go for a week without eating at times”

    **We have large stomach, fast metabolism.**

   “Well, we should probably refrain from eating neighbor Steven just yet.” Loki stated as he went back to start stowing away the monies as Steven had suggested. “He could prove quite useful for gleaning information on how to live in this ridiculous place where they trade paper for goods.”

  **I still want to eat.** That definitely wasn't asking, it was more like warning.

   “Fine,” Loki sighs gathering up some of the paper money and stuffing it into his pocket as he heads out. Stepping out into the street he passes a blond woman in a tight dress, a few feet away he steps into an alley and assumes her form.

    **This is my favorite trick Loki,** Venom croons and Loki can feel his eager anticipation at what they’re about to do growing within him.

"I thought you despised this trick?"

  **No, this trick is good. Clever. As long as you do not think we will allow you to mate again.**

   “Of course not,” Loki scowled in distaste at the thought, not bothering to remind the creature that it wasn't mating, though technically he could see why it would be perceived as such.

  **Good.** The symbiote barked in affirmation. **You look deliciously disgusting.**

   “Not your type, am I?” Loki asks chuckling in growing amusement at the symbiote.

    **Of course you’re my type,** Venom replies flatly. **I would not be able to still be with you if you were not.**

   “Interesting to know, though I meant how I currently appear?”Loki inquired curiously.

  **Oh no. I prefer the real you. This is just a human shell. It is not you.**

   “Perhaps,” Loki replied, thinking which real him was the symbiote actually referring to? Not that it mattered, what did he care what Venom’s preference was? “However, did you not see how many of the males were admiring this particular woman? It seems that they find her appealing.”

    **And you do not**. That wasn’t a question, Venom knew.

   “I’m sorry, are we hunting or not?” Loki asked shortly, he wasn’t liking how personal this conversation was getting.

    **Yes, hungry**

   “Then perhaps less chit chat until you’ve fed,” he suggested dryly.

  Loki didn’t enjoy the act of eating humans, found the metallic aftertaste it left positively wretched, though he was beginning to get used to it. However, he did take quite a bit of joy in the cat and mouse game itself, luring in a particular victim with his charms, they were such easy prey. It was almost pathetic how quickly the males of this species succumbed to beauty. Still, he tried to be particular, kept to the dark alleys and out of sight. The less desirable members of society seeming to flock to the poor, helpless woman who’d lost her way like moths drawn to a flame. Like this particular vermin approaching him now. Loki could easily recognize the lust in the man’s eyes before he was even 10 feet away, the way he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand greedily, leering at Loki’s ample breasts with a primal hunger.

  **Low Life?**

  “Most definitely,” Loki thought back with a smirk

   “Well hello, darlin’,” The sleezy fellow greeted stepping up far too close and causing Loki to walk closer to the wall. “Lost your way?”

   “I was just cutting through,” Loki lied gesturing to the dark alley ahead.

   “Oh, well, you want to cut through here, you’ll have to pay the toll.”

   Loki suppressed and eye roll as she kept walking, the rather smelly man keeping in step beside her, nearly pressing into her now. Just a few more feet and they’d be far enough from any prying eyes. It seemed as though the lech had the same idea.

   “Toll?” Loki asked innocently as she tucked her hair behind her ear on the scumbag’s side. A cheap and easy play, garnering him more attention.

   “Oh yeah,” The man leered slipping a hand around the woman’s lean waist. “There’s a toll for everything in this city, but I’m certain you’ll be able to pay.”

   Loki felt Venom’s agitation as the man gripped her waist, felt him wanting to surge out and devour him.

   “Not Yet!” Loki warned, then quickly covered her words with the man beside her and still talked to Venom at the same time. “Just a little further, where it’s darker. Less chance of being spotted.”

   “I like how you think,” The man said, his hand dropping to cup one of Loki’s ass cheeks and he ushered her forward quickly to a dark alcove and pushed her roughly into the wall. He licked his lips hungrily and went to step forward, but never got the chance.

**************

  “I do hope that one doesn’t give us indigestion,” Loki remarked in boredom, now back in his usual masculine form and stepping out of the alley. Stuffing the few monies the man had been carrying into his pocket to join the rest. Even though Steven had said he had plenty, one could never be too safe.

    **I have eaten worse.**

“I’m sure you have.,” Loki remarks noting how a woman passing looks at him funny. Perhaps talking to himself in public isn't such a great idea, draws too much attention.  
  
 ********


	10. Chapter 10

**Where to next,Loki?**

  "Someplace quiet perhaps," Loki stated looking around thoughtfully. "I need to get away from these humans for a little bit.

   He wasn't seeing any place devoid of humans until he feels Venom pull his head upwards.

 **How about up?** The symbiote suggested.

  “That should work just fine,” Loki remarked thinking it was actually a clever idea..

  **Of course it's clever** Venom pipes up smugly, **I can get us there**  

  Loki was suddenly flooded with the suggestion of scaling the side of the building.

  “Probably not the best of ideas,” he stated looking around thoughtfully. “We are trying to blend in, remember? Besides, these humans do not climb so well themselves, which means there must be another way to ascend.”

  He, walked towards the building’s doors, passing a person in a dark suit and assuming an illusion of similar garb as he steps through the doors. Another thing these humans here didn't appear to be, was overly observant. A shift in a doorway or rounding a corner seemed to go completely unintended. Such empty witted fools.

   **Makes them easy prey.**

  "That it does," He agreed as he looked around for stairs and upon seeing none, decided to follow a mindless he'd of humans into a metal box. Once inside he notes the lighted button panel before him, just before the door closes and the box lurches into motion. From the downward pressure upon takeoff, it was obvious that they were going up.

  He quickly worked out that the numbers correspond with the floor level that they’re on as it chimed upon arrival to the chosen numbers to release a human onto that floor. Loki absently wondered if their new abode has one of these moving boxes. He’s fairly certain he spotted one, it would be easier than taking the stairs up 7 flights of stairs.

    **Eight** , Venom corrects

  Loki shrugs, the symbiote was correct, it was 8. He presses the highest one, riding the elevator all the way to the top and steps off. It still wasn’t the roof though. Looking around he finally finds the stairs at the end of a hall and follows them up and out at leas into the open air.

  Breathing a deep breath as he shifts back into his usual form, thanking the Norn's for the lack of humans and walks over to the edge, climbing up on the stone wall and sitting with his legs dangling in ease over the edge. It’s late and the sun is well into setting, the city lighting up like decorations below him. It's also quiet and he can finally let his mind rest a little.

  **Hmm it is peaceful up here, almost pretty** , Venom remarks almost in surprise.

  “Yes, Midgard isn't all horrible sometimes” Loki replied absently, but he really isn’t looking at the city. Instead his eyes cast upwards towards the stars. What few he can see from the lights of the city seeming to wash out the night sky. He wished he could see more and signing drops his gaze to watch all the ant like humans moving below.

  **This height doesn't bother you.** It’s a statement rather than a question, because of course Venom knows the height doesn’t

  “I've fallen from higher,” Loki admits raising his gaze to take in the view and feels a disapproving grumble from within.  
However he enjoys just sitting and looking over the city, and after a short while, Venoms own head emergest, hovering beside him to gaze along the skyline

  **The things that human wanted to do to you are unspeakable.** Venom remarks street awhile, Loki can feel his disgust quite easily, though it almost feels as though it's echoing back at him and was unsure if he was disgusted first or whether the symbiote was.

  “One can only guess,” he remarks wanting to dismiss it and move on.

**I don't have to guess, I know.**

  That brought Loki to pause, “What you read his mind?

 **I did, right before I ate it, it was delicious,** the symbiote purred at the savory memory.

  “Wait, you can read the minds of your victims?” Loki asks in surprise, turning to regard the strange rounded head still hovering beside him, his own mind churning and plotting over the possible implications this could mean.

  **If I choose to. It is not difficult once part of me is inside of them.** Vernom abouta and if it had shoulders it would've surely shrugged.

“Now that is interesting,” Loki smirked getting to his feet, standing on the ledge and looking at the dark alleyway below him. The wind tossing his hair as paused to take it in. To consider it, feeling that dark glimmer inside of him, the urge to just step off of it swelling up inside of him. The humans of old called it 'l'appel du vide', the call if the void. 

    **Go ahead** Venom urged darkly smug.

  “You would allow me to fall?” Loki asked a bit curious.

  **Fall yes, die no.** It replied with a stern finality.

  “Well that just takes the fun right out of it,” Loki replied, turning on heel to step stately off onto the rooftop and headed back inside.

  **Where are we going now?** The symbiote asked, disappearing back inside of its host as they stepped into the metal box to take them back down to ground level.

  “Well, I thought we'd put that little mind reading trick of yours to good use,” Loki replied noting how the woman who stepped in 4 floors down, frowned and kept her distance. No matter, “how do you feel about a late night snack?”

  The woman whirled, eying him up and down in distrust. “Oh not you” Loki corrected with a small laugh. Though perhaps talking to himself in public should be limited. No real bother though as the woman quickly decided that the next floor down was get stop.

  He felt Venom purr in eager excitement within him at the thought of eating again, feeling that strange echoing of emotions heightening his own anticipation. A smirk painting his lips as he stepped off the elevator on the bottom level, now wearing  image of a well dressed woman and sauntering unnoticed part the door man, the hunt was indeed on again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a bit of artistic freedom here, I've no idea if Venom can read the minds of his victims or not. But for my story, it was feasible so I went with it.


	11. Chapter 11

 

  “Are you certain that this is what they use for bathing?” Loki asked looking dubiously at the plastic closet in Scott's bathroom.

  **I am not certain, but the human was.** Venom replied assuredly

  Loki shrugged following the symbiote’s direction and turning the knobs on the wall to one side. He ducked back just as water started cascading from overhead.

  “A waterfall?” He puzzled standing back and folding his arms across his chest to study this bathing chamber. “Do they sit in it? There's hardly room? “

  **They stand.** Venom relayed conjuring the image he stole from their last victim. Loki holding the man aloft in the alley, triggering the memories he wanted with a few questions while the symbiote oozed in a black mass down his arm and penetrated their victim. The down side to victims, was that once their minds were overrun with fear, there was nothing further you could really glean from them. Overall, his plan was a bit of a let down, really.

  **I disagree** Venom countered knowing his host's thoughts. **It was a good plan.**

  “You would say that about any plan that ended with you eating.”

  **No I wouldn't.**

  Loki knew Venom wasn’t lying, there were things the symbiote would prefer they not do for food,had stated such quite firmly. However, as Loki observed the rather uninspiring waterfall, he glanced at the larger plastic trough and noted a similar set of water controls on its ledge. Could it be?

  10 minutes later Loki was sighing contentedly as he lay soaking in the humans artificial bathing pool, the water steaming around him and warming him straight to his bones. He couldn't wait to scrub off the filth if the past few days from his skin, from the past few weeks if he was honest, but first he just wanted to soak. Reveling in this one familiar luxury.

  A dark blob of a head slowly emerged from his chest surfacing and eyeing him curiously. Loki felt the gaze and peaked open a single green eye to regard the symbiote.

  **This makes you happy.** It was not as much a question as it was a statement, Venom could obviously feel that it did.

  “It does bring me a modicum of pleasure, yes “ Loki replied running an experimental finger across the top of the creature's head. It was smooth, silky in its slickness, though not at all slimy as one would first assume,and warm. Loki got the distinct similarity of touching a serpent's skin minus the scales.

  **But where you come from is cold. There is ice in your veins even still.**

  “Where I come from is Asgard, and Asgard was warm. Therefore _I_ still enjoy warm things.” Loki corrected sharply pulling back his hand with a frown and reclosing his eyes. His heritage before Asgard was not a subject he wished to discuss now, or ever.

  **You like warm, I can do warm.**

  Loki gasped in pleasant surprise as the heat in his body seemed to double, filling every muscle and joint like the bubbling hot springs back home. He let out a satisfied moan as he sank further into the tub, feeling the weight of Venom's head resting on his chest as they echoed their satisfied pleasure between them. Apparently Loki being happy made his symbiote happy as well. This was certainly shaping up to be an interesting coexistence.

*******

 

  The next day Loki decided to use his own powers of observation to attempt to glean further knowledge on how to better blend in and live as a human. Which lead to him to following the flow of people into a coffee shop, the pleasant aroma filling his nose even from before he stepped through the doors. However,as he studied the board menu posted on the back wall, he realizes that he has no idea what to order. So he listens closely to the humans in front of him as they order. One catches his awareness and certainly sounds pleasant.

   “Yes, one Mocha Frapp please?” Loki orders boldly.

   “You know that’s cold, right?” The ordering servant questions politely.

   “Oh, no I did not. Does it come in heated form as well?”

   “Yep,” The servant replies happily as he punches it in. “What size?”

   “The largest available, good sir,” Loki says smiling in anticipation of his giant hot beverage.

   “Whip cream?”

   “What do you suggest?” He asks a bit uncertain if this whipped cream is something that should be added or not.

   “Always go with the whipped cream,” The man replies with a pleasant smile and a wink.

   “Very good,” Loki says with a nod, his smile broadening a bit as well as he recognizes another’s attraction to him and taking a moment to read the name plate on his shirt. “Thank you Ian, we’ll go with the whipped cream”

  **Let's eat his brains** Venom suddenly piped up from within, Loki feeling one of his coils wrapping around his stomach in that now familiar possessive flare.

   “No.” Loki quickly admonished, there were far too many people here who would definitely notice something like that. Plus, Ian did not outwardly appear to be any sort of riff raff.

   “I’m sorry?”Ian asked as Loki spoke up.

   “I said so, what do I owe you?”

   “Oh, that’ll be 8.50.”

   Loki reached into his pocket, producing the money and shuffling through the paper rectangles until he found one with the number 10 on it. Surely this had to be correct, still he was a bit trepidatious as he handed it over, watching nervously as he expected the servant man to ask for more. He sighed a bit in relief when he instead got handed back more money and two coins.

   “They’ll have your order ready at the end soon, sir,” Ian informed and Loki nodded, studying the dollars he’d received, two ones, that made sense, eight from ten left two. This wasn’t nearly as difficult as he’d first imagined.

   He soon got his Mocha drink and found a seat in the corner in which he could both sip the beverage and watch the interactions with the other humans. Studying how they paid for their drinks, most using a plastic card instead of paper money, though that required the entering of a code. Some used strange electronic rectangles, which the servant Ian shined a light on and made his computer emit a beep when he did. In those instances no money or card was exchanged. He frowned a bit in confusion as he then watched the humans use this same rectangle as a form of communications device. This system as truly more complicated than first imagined.

  With a sigh he took the first sip of his steaming beverage, finding it just the right temperature to be pleasingly hot and not burn his tongue. It was sweet, with just a slight bitter undertaste. Loki enjoyed it immediately, somebody else did as well.

    **MORE**

   “So demanding, what’s the magic phrase?” Loki teased lightly

  **Oh sorry, give us more NOW**

   Loki’s hand carried the drink of it’s own volition back up to his lips, forcing him to take several big gulps of the drink before relenting.

   “Rude,” Loki frowned in displeasure as he dabbed at his lips with a napkin. “Must you always do that?”

    **Do not tease us Loki.** Venom warned darkly. **You give us what we want and we will both be happy.**

“Yes, but there’s something to be said for delayed gratification. Stretching the pleasure out a bit so it’s not over as quickly. “

   Venom hummed thoughtfully at that as Loki lifted the drink again, taking another long drink. Not a chug, but a deeper draw than a mere sip. Letting the sweetness of it sit on his tongue pleasantly, rolling out around in his mouth a bit to savor the taste,before allowing it to slowly roll down his throat, swallowing and feeling the heat settle in his core.

   “See, is my way not better?”

  **It will do** Venom allowed disgruntledly, though Loki could feel the symbiote's own pleasure as he repeated the action.

   He continued people watching, noticing a couple of humans appeared to be talking to themselves, though nobody gave them more than a cursory glance. “Do they also harbor your kind?”

    **There are no other symbiotes here.** Venom stated with certainty.

   Loki hummed as he watched, trying to suss out who the humans were talking with if they didn’t have one of these symbiotes inside of them. He finally spotted the earpiece as one woman removed hers to drop it within her purse. Interesting, that could certainly be of some use with blending in as others may look at you oddly for speaking to yourself in public.Or speaking to a slightly unruly symbiote.

  **I am not unruly, you are merely stubborn**  .Venom replied reminding him not for the first time that he could read his thoughts,

  “Yes, well, it’s my tenacity that’s gotten us this far,” Loki retorted, hushing any reply with another long swig of his drink. The cup lightening significantly as he came to the end.

    **Another,** The symbiote demanded greedily.

   Loki frowned deeply as he got to his feet. “Now you sound like my brother...former brother,” He quickly amended

   Venom could feel the loathing and sharp pain the memory of Loki’s brother brought and opted not to retort. Instead watching as Loki got to his feet to dispose of the now empty cup, circling around past the table where the woman who’d been talking on the earpiece sat. Her purse sitting open on the table beside her as she was fully turned to speak to another woman sitting next to her. Loki’s hand merely twitched as he passed and if one hadn’t been looking, they would’ve missed the quick flash of green light his fingers emitted.

    **Very clever** Venom purred approvingly as he felt the object his host had neatly acquired as he approached the counter a second time.

   “Ah yes, Ian, another of those Mocha drinks to go please,” Loki said ignoring the creature’s words, though felt the snugness of it’s hold around him yet again. It was indeed curious behavior.

   As Loki stepped out into the street, new drink in hand, he positioned the earpiece into his ear and set off, smiling smugly at his own cleverness. Blending in with these humans was going to be a breeze.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to do my best to keep updates going through the Holidays, however, as we're also traveling, there's no guarantees. Just in case, here's a big beefy chapter. Enjoy!

  Loki continued using his own observant nature in hopes of further blending in. He watched the humans closely as he walked the sidewalks, studying their careful air of disinterest. Many had these rectangular communication devices held to their ear the entire time, other’s just a stared straight ahead in determined focus, all appeared to have somewhere really important to be and were in a hurry to get there. None appeared to really interact with one another as they went about their day, but all moved easily on their crowded paths and hardly even brushed arms with any others passing by.

 **Loki look, a menu.** Venom piped up drawing his attention.

  “That is not menu, must you be so crude ,” Loki chided looking at the back window of the large car that had stopped just to the right of them awaiting the light to change.

  **Then what is it for?**

  Loki studied the rather crude hieroglyphics on the back of the car depicting a male, female, 3 offspring and a feline of some sort “Perhaps it’s some form of status,” He deduced with a shrug as he went back to watching the humans.

  He observed how they crossed the roads, many waiting enmass to cross at areas where there were lines painted in short stripes leading from one side to the other. At these areas there was also electronic signs telling them when to go and when to wait via lighted symbols, more crude hieroglyphics. A red hand for wait, a white figure of a human walking for go, simple and effective.

  He also noted how several still would go even after the red hand had appeared, stepping out boldly directly before these cars, as if the machines didn’t weigh 10 times that of a human and could smash their pathetically fragile bodies easily. To his surprise though, any cars that had been moving, would stop, or mostly stop, until the human was safely out of its path. Maybe they were programmed not to run over them? He noticed this peculiar behavior when the humans opted to not use the crossing areas as well, instead dashing at random out before the rumbling carriages. Sure enough, the cars would stop, some emitting a rather loud bleat as they did, then rumble back on their way as the human passed.

    **Food!** Venom reminded Loki, that was in fact their purpose for being out in daylight after all.

  They’d recently gleaned knowledge of some place called a grocery store nearby in which the humans used to procure their goods. Though how they procured this knowledge should make the symbiote a bit less testy one would think.

   “You literally just ate,” Loki corrected deciding to test his theory of the programmed safety feature of these cars by stepping out into the road. Sure enough, one by one, the cars stopped as he stepped off the sidewalk. It really was quite empowering and he could see now why the humans did this.

    **We will need later food,** Venom supplied logically enough. **Loki, that one is not stopping.**

   Loki eyed the approaching yellow car with a furrowed brow. “It shall stop.” He said as he kept walking.

  **I do not think so.**

   Loki tried to remain calm, but it really did appear as though this one did not have the same safety feature as the others as it came barreling directly towards him, already emitting that loud bleat despite it’s momentum not slowing. Loki quickly picked up his step, Venom lending a hand as he shot out a tentacle, latching it to the opposite sidewalk and yanking Loki the rest of the way across.

    **Yellow ones don’t stop.**

   “ Apparently not “ Loki said catching his breath as he looked back at the steady stream of cars. “Thanks for that.”

  **You are welcome.**

   Loki smiled at his symbiote’s courtesy as he straightened up and glanced around, sure enough, the humans had been too preoccupied pretending that nobody existed but them, to even notice what had happened. With a shrug he straightened his shirt and continued on.

 

*********

  
  Loki stood in the produce section eyeing the brown tuber in his hand. “This, this is a potato?” He said aloud, he was wearing his earpiece so didn’t worry too much about anyone seeing him talking to himself.

    **That does not look like hashed browns.** Venom chimed in skeptically

   “ No, it certainly does not,” He replied spotting a plastic bag, full of more potatoes sitting atop a pile of bagged potatoes. “I assume that they are made from them, but how many do you think it will take?”

  **All of them.**

   “ I highly doubt that,” Loki said placing a single bag in the metal wheeled basket he pushed along.

  Most of the vegetables he recognized as they were close enough to what he was used to back home on Asgard, though the names and sizes were oft different. Everything else in this store however was a complete mystery.

   He forwent any meat as it was apparently all 'dead' anyway,at least according to his symbiote, so they walked up and down the long aisles, eyeing the boxes and colorful packages lining the shelves in a mix of curiosity and confusion. How ever did humans even decide what to get based on this ridiculous system? What were these Cheerios? Did they make you happy somehow? And who was Aunt Jemima and how did they convert her to this strange, dark ooze. Surprisingly, even Venom was hesitant to try 'ooze of Jemima'.

   “Perhaps we should have brought Steven along to aid in this endeavor,” Loki sighed as he rounded the corner on yet another row of goods.

  He noticed many of the humans already had their own metal baskets well loaded, while Loki had only a grabbed a few items here and there, and most of those were random choices. They’d yet to find anything that remotely looked like hashed browns and he was beginning to suspect that they had to be made from scratch each time.

    **Loki take that one,** Venom suddenly suggested, and Loki looked ahead to see a metal cart seemingly standing off on it’s own. It’s human over halfway down the aisle scanning the shelves closely for something. Inside the cart was a plethora of various items, and Loki had to agree, this seemed a far simpler solution than how they were going about it.

   “Good idea,” Loki said grabbing up his bag of potatoes and plopping them into the unattended shopping cart as he swapped it out for his. Stepping smoothly behind its controls and swiftly heading off to Que for checkout.

  Steven had been wrong and their goods cost a substantial bit more than forty dollars, however, as Venom had just been fed a few hours prior, they had also stocked up on more monies. Still, it was something Loki would have to remember in the future.

*************

  Finally home and feeling a bit worn from his endeavors, he began unloading the bags of goods on the kitchen counter, examining each thing curiously and reading its name. Trying to figure out why the human chose the items that they had. He came to a rather large flat rectangle by the name of Hershey and lifted it to his nose to smell it. The sweetness hit him even through it’s packaging and he instantly began unwrapping it curiously. He frowned as he looked at the food the foil exposed. It honestly looked like solidified mud.

    **Food!** Venom piped up suddenly.

   “You don’t honestly expect me to eat that,” Loki stated moving to set the bar of mud down.

    **Yes, I do.** Loki’s arm shot up of its own accord and stuffed the item straight into his mouth. Loki had no choice but to take a bite, and surprisingly, it tasted good, though quite sweet.

  “Not bad,” Loki remarked studying the bar as he’d gotten control back of his arm and more willingly took another bite.

  **Told you**  The symbiote replied smugly.

   “Yes, well, we could do with a little less force next time,” Loki grumbled. He hated it when the symbiote moved him without his consent.

    **You didn’t complain when I saved us,** Venom retorted.

   “That was different,we weren’t about to be injured by not eating this shaped sugar mud.”  
  Loki continued digging out supplies, putting anything he found cold in the refrigerator, anything he found really cold into the freezer. “Ah look hashed browns.” Loki suddenly proclaimed triumphantly as he held up the freezing plastic bag showing small round hash brown blobs on the front.

  **Those do not look like hashed browns,** Venom returned doubtfully.

   “You’re right, they don’t,” Loki agreed peering a bit closer at the bag. “But it says here that they are frozen potatoes. They call these Tater Tots. Hmmm could be worth a try.” He said opening the bag and peering inside. Sure enough, there were tiny frozen blobs inside, much like the picture on the outside. He took one, sniffed it curiously and tossed it into his mouth.

    **Not bad, but hashedbrowns were warm, not frozen.**

   “I am guessing that they have to be cooked somehow,” Loki said looking over the bag and seeing a section called cooking directions on the back. Well, that was certainly a read for another day, he thought tossing the bag into the freezer and moving on.

  He came across another container with the name Hershey's on it. Curious he turned it over trying to sorce how to access its contents. It didn’t have the same paper and foil wrapping the other Hershey’s had. He finally studied the words on the wrapper and found his answer, twist cap to open. Very well then.

   He twisted off the main cap and peered into the brown bottle, giving it a sniff and tilting it to try to see what lay inside. It smelled just as sweet as the other had. Suddenly a thick brown sludge streamed out directly onto the counter. Ah, perfect, liquefied sugar mud, he thought swiping a finger through the puddle and bringing it to his lips as he righted the bottle and continued reading the words. He soon gleaned that Hershey’s was the name of the company producing this mud and Chocolate was what this mud was actually called. Same as the brown pastries Dave had bought them.

  **We like this chocolate,** Venom purred happily from within. That was certainly another point in Chocolate’s favor, anything that could make the symbiote this happy was well worth getting more of.

   “I must agree,” Loki said as he finished the solid mud bar, dipping it from time to time in the chocolate puddle he’d created until both was gone. Sadly there wasn’t more chocolate mud products in the bags, so after he’d put the items away, he gathered more monies and went back out to procure more. The cashier only eyeing him a little funny as he brought his basket full of Hershey's bars and chocolate syrup to the checkout.

   “Looks like some party,” The human remarked

   “Just stocking up,” Loki replied with a smile, he couldn’t help but feel in a good mood when the symbiote was already humming happily inside at the anticipation of this wonderful treat.

   “Well, don’t eat it all at once,” The human joked absently.

   “We won’t, “ Loki replied easily as he took the bags and once again headed home.

 

*************

  Loki got his fill of chocolate, enough to sate the creature within anyway, then decided to see to his own needs, sighing contentedly as he laid back in the tub, soap suds floating all around him like clouds. It had been awhile since he'd even felt like taking pleasure, so it was a bit of a surprise when he absently began stroking himself, his cock eager and stiffening almost immediately under his minstrations. His slow sure strokes lighting up the nerves inside him at each pass.  

  **Loki, we like that. Don't stop.** The symbiote purred deeply from within.

  “I wasn't planning on it,” Loki breathed heavily, not feeling embarrassed at all by Venom observing as he masturbated. The symbiote had seen him do worse.

  His hand sped up a bit as his pleasure increased, his breath coming out in shallower and shallower pants as he pulled at his member. He wasn't expecting to feel his own enjoyment echoing back at him from the creature within, but it reverberated like a loop, driving him on, heightening his own euphoric bliss like nothing he'd ever felt before. The pleasure causing him to shudder under the onslaught until it could build no more and swept swiftly through him. Loki moaning openly as he came, stroking himself through his climax until he'd spent every drop.

  He laid there in ecstasy, riding the post orgasm high for as long as he could before finally climbing out and getting dressed.

  **Oh Loki,** venom purred from within, causing his cock to twitch halfheartedly at the deep bravato of it.

  “Enjoyed that did you?” Loki hummed with a smirk.

  **Mmmmm, it was most delicious**

  “Delicious?” Loki paused to clarify, plopping down on the couch with a book he'd pulled from the shelf.

  **Oh yes, the most delicious treat** yet. Venom elaborated. **It oozed from your brain, so sweet, like chocolate, but better.**

  Loki thought on his words, puzzling then through until he the only explanation that seemed to fit. “You're eating the chemicals my brain puts off?”

  **Of course, why let such delectable treats go to waste?**

   “Yes, well those particular treats would be called endorphins,” Loki informed catching on and learning a bit more about his guest “ happy chemicals. “

  **We want more of these happy chemicals.** Venom clicked eagerly.

  “Don't we all.” 

  **They were better than the ones when you're excited,**  The creature continued ignoring his blatant sarcasm. **Or  when you wake in the night afraid. Your heart pumping out the taste so fast. Such a tasty snack.**

  Loki frowned, he didn't like being reminded of his nightmares, or his weakness to them. “That would be adrenaline. “

  **Hmm yes adrenaline,**  Venom confirmed. I **t tastes better when we're excited. When we first catch sight of our prey, reeling them in with your tricks. Though I prefer to taste the fear on them, not on us.**

  “Yes, well, I'd prefer that as well, however sometimes we are not in control of our emotions.”

  **Like sadness?**

  Loki closed the book with a big sigh, the symbiote was awfully chatty tonight and prying on subjects he'd rather just be left alone.

  **I can't leave it alone Loki, it's here always, like a big lump of sad.**

  Loki knew exactly what he meant, he felt it always himself. Ever since the truth came out. “That would be a broken heart,” he informed trying to be matter of fact about it and not wanting to speak the feeling into further existence.

 **Your heart is not broken,**  Venom returned immediately. **If it were I would fix it. It is perfectly fine.**

  “It's a figure of speech. It's when you're hit with something so life changingly horrific, that the grief of it completely takes you over.”

  **How do we make it go away, I do not like this sad lump.**

  “I'm afraid we can't. I tried once already and apparently failed. “

  **When you fell,** Venom said softly, it knew it was right. It's head slowly emerging straight from Loki’s chest to eye its host with its toothy grin **I see it in your dreams. I feel it in you still, you want to die. We will not let that happen Loki.**

  “Well, you won't be here forever,” Loki reminded the creature curtly “ and once you move on, then I'll be able to finish what I started, won't I?”

  **Do not think we will be so eager to just throw you away,** Venom replied running his long tongue up one side of the man’s face, causing him to grimace a bit at the action.

“You will eventually, everyone always does,” Loki stated, wiping off the saliva from his cheek with one hand. Was that supposed to be a threat or affection?

  Venom rumbled discontentedly and melded back inside and Loki returned to his book. The conversation finally stopping for the night as he felt the symbiote stewing at the back of his consciousness. It puzzled him that his own matter of fact words upset the creature so. It should be happy to have a host so down to earth about the whole situation, a situation that was nothing if temporary. A small delay in Loki's plans, nothing more. 


	13. Chapter 13

 

  Living with a Symbiote creature inside of you was not all fun and games. Living with a Symbiote creature inside of you 24/7 with it's own ideas and opinions on things, was sometimes hell.

  **Asshole!**

   “Where did you even learn such vulgarity?” Loki asks a bit aghast at the symbiote’s fouls language.

  **I had other hosts before you.** Venom reminded flatly.

   “Lucky them, they actually got to get rid of you!”

  **That’s, because I ate them for not feeding me!** the symbiote returned impatiently.

   “Is your answer to everything eating?” Loki asked getting more frustrated by the minute. This having to eat all the time, or rather feed the creature inside him all the time was getting to be a real inconvenience.

  **Yes now make me hashed browns!**

  “Look I've told you, I have zero idea how to get that from this!” Loki stated picking up a potato as If showing it to him.” I understand that it's made from this, why can't we just eat this?”

  **Do not eat that!** Venom warned sharply.

  Oh now Loki was definitely going to eat it, looking the tuber over before biting into it like an apple. The texture was odd but not unpleasant, nice and crunchy, not really juicy, a bit earthy, but it tasted almost similar.

**Noooooo spit it out!**

  “I will not!” Loki growled stubbornly going to take another bite, only to find his hand holding the food in question forced suddenly towards the trash can instead.

  **Stop eating that potato you idiot,** Venom growled.

  “No,” Loki replied stubbornly fighting against Venom’s will, straining to raise his hand and slowly guiding the potato back towards his mouth for another bite. His other hand seemingly turning against him as it grasped his own wrist to try to force the potato further away.

    **Stop being so stubborn!**  

   “The word is tenacious you ridiculous parasite!, “ Loki retorted still struggling basically with himself.

    **Parasite?!** Suddenly black tendrils shot from his chest, yanking him straight up to the ceiling and pinning him there, his arms splayed on either side of him, but Loki kept a firm grasp of the food. Refusing to give into this creature’s will.

  **Apologize!** Venom demanded as he held him pinned

  “For what? The truth?!” Loki retorted with a sneer as he struggled to move his arms.

  **Apologize!!!**

   “Heimdall be damned, I am about to rip you from my body if you do not release me this inst-”  
  Loki never got a chance to finish as Venom did just that, releasing him and sending him crashing down onto his back. He landed square upon the coffee table, the tiny wooden piece of furniture shattering under his weight, and he laid there stewing in disbelief as he stared at the ceiling. How did his life become this?

   “You are an absolute-”

  All of a sudden Steve came bursting through his door, looking around wide eyed and appearing to be prepared to go to battle with whatever foe lay within. “Loki, Loki are you okay?” He asked in concern rushing over to help the man up. “I thought I heard yelling, then the crash.”

   “Oh yeah. I uh, fell,” Loki said not really lying, though not elaborating as Steven came over and helped him to his feet. The fact that his new neighbor was suddenly in his apartment seemed to be the least surprising event of the day. Of course such a goody goody as dear, helpful Steven would come rushing in at the first sound of trouble. 

  
  **You didn’t fall, I dropped you.**

   Loki took a deep breath stalling what he’d like to say to the symbiote. Instead he used the distraction to quickly take another bite of the potato, chewing it triumphantly as Venom cursed inside him.

    **Noooooooo.** The symbiote cursed in dismay.

   “Oh man, you gotta be careful,” Steve said still holding him by the arm, another steady on his back as he made certain that his new friend wasn’t going to waver or possibly fall again. “Is that a potato?” He asked as he watched Loki take a bite of the large tuber.

  “Indeed it is,” Loki replied quickly taking another bite and smirking the curses his symbiote was throwing at him. “Would you like one? I've apparently purchased too many.”

  **Not too many if you'd make them into hashed browns.** Venom retorted.

  “Uh no," Steve replied his eyebrows furrowing thoughtfully. “Would you like me to show you how to cook those?”

  **Yessss I'm beginning to really really like neighbor Steve.**

  “ Yes, what all can you create with them?" He asked taking another bite out of spite for that comment, and pointedly ignoring the growl from his symbiote.

  “Oh Lots things,” Steve said stepping in and leading Loki to the kitchen. “You can bake them, mash them, cut them into sticks and fry them.”

  “Can you make hashed browns?" Loki blinked, unsure if it was him or Venom that had said that last bit.

  “That you can,” Steve said smiling at the name Loki had used for them.” Here let me show you.”

  **Good, now get rid of this,**  Venom demanded quickly making Loki spit out how latest bite of potato.

  “Asshole” Loki growled hoping Steven didn't notice him spitting food onto his floor.

  “I'm sorry?” Steve asked curiously from where he'd been bending over to get supplies out of the cupboards.

  “I said that's soooo interesting,” Loki quickly covered with a bright grin, not able to stop his other hand from tossing the potato he still held into the trash as he walked by it. Fighting with himself now would definitely appear out of sorts. “That you can make so many things from one tuber.”

  “Yeah, you know they used to be a real staple back in the day." Steve explained patiently. " Now though, people would just rather buy the premade ones and not have to do all this work. “

  “Well, I prefer to learn from scratch.” Loki said then thought he'd search this store of groceries a little harder next time to find these already premade hashed browns.

  “Great, now you want to wash those real good first,” Steve said motioning to the bag of potatoes.” They grow underground and can be pretty dirty.”

  Loki suddenly looked back at the trash can in disgust.

  **Told you.**

  He gave a small shudder at the thought of eating dirt then set about the task at hand, thoroughly scrubbing the potatoes.

  An hour later he was just lifting the last of them off the pan with his spatula and piling them onto a plate. Steve was a great teacher as always and he'd soon felt as though he'd mastered this art of creating hashed browns.

  **Needs chocolate.** Venom suggested firmly.

  Of course it does, Loki practically rolled his eyes as he retrieved the bottle of chocolate syrup from the fridge.

  “I told you making the whole bag would be too much,” Steve laughed as he looked at the giant mountain of hashbrowns on the plate.

  **No it isn't!**

  “Hmm this does appear to be quite a lot,” Loki mused as he drizzled the sweet syrup over the top. “Would you like some?”

  “He'd better say no

  “Oh no, I'm good. “ Steve quickly replied, trying not to look grossed out. He'd seen people put ketchup on their hashbrowns, cheese even, but never chocolate. “ I'm supposed to be somewhere anyway. I'll catch you later? “

  “Uh sure, catch you later,” Loki returned though he didn't know why Steven would be needing to catch him at all, walking him to the door before turning back to his food mountain.” I believe I'll let you take care of this one yourself.”

  **Gladly** Venom hummed, surging forth and enveloping his hosts body as he emerged, then stalking quickly to the kitchen, where he grabbed the plate of potatoes eagerly. He tilted back his head, his massive jaws opening nearly a full 180 degrees as his tongue lolled out over his teeth and he upended all the hashbrowns straight into his waiting gullet. Licking his lips in sated pleasure afterwards

  “Did you even chew? “

  **Chewing would only slow the process down.**

  “Of course it would”, Loki replied as the symbiote sank back into his skin and he went to relax on the couch. "Well, I'm sorry I called you a parasite” Loki said feeling the need to clear the air as the symbiote had been mostly right in not wanting him to eat the dirty tuber. “So what do you want to do now?”

  **We need more potatoes.** Venom suggested hopefully.

  Loki sighed and flopped face first into the cushions. Could life get any more complicated?

  **Yes.**  
    
  Loki definitely couldn't argue that. Fine more potatoes it was. At lest he knew where to procure them, and maybe he'd stop for some more mocha coffee along the way. Another friendly visit with Ian couldn't hurt either. He felt Venom grumble a bit inside and tighten around him as the symbiote latched onto his thoughts. "Relax, it's nice to be wanted. It might even help with that lump of sad as you so eloquently put it."  
    
  Venom didn't reply, but didn't release his hold either as they headed out. Such curious behavior, but nothing Loki really felt on putting much energy into thinking about just now. Maybe later, maybe after he was done visiting this human, getting a bit of attention from him, then procuring more potatoes, and then maybe even after another bath. Yes, definitely after another bath. Even the symbiote seemed in agreement in this idea, already humming eagerly as they entered the coffee shop and the young man behind the register looked up, offering Loki a far too bright smile. One which the symbiote decided to overlook...for now.  
  
 


	14. Chapter 14

 

  “I wonder what this does” Loki mused picking up the small device from the trunk he’d procured to replace the now deceased coffee table that appeared to be a handheld number pad. At the top of it there was a nice round red button. Red buttons demanded pushing. He gently pressed it and the small flat black glass rectangle on the wall before him roared to live. Literally roared, the chaos and sound coming from what was being broadcast across the rectangle’s screen was deafening. Causing him to drop the remote with a bit of a start. Cars roaring past, horns honking , a siren blaring that had The Symbiote growling in discomfort every time it came on.

    **Turn it off!!** Venom snarled angrily.

   “OBVIOUSLY,” Loki yelled back over the noise, scrambling to get the device from where it had fallen on the floor. Venom’s tendril shot out, grasping it first and bringing it neatly into Loki’s hand where he solidly pressed the red button again. Sighing in relief as the glass rectangle went silent again.

   “That was positively dreadful,” Loki breathed getting up and moving off to the kitchen, absently pulling a bag of frozen tater tots from the freezer. Apparently being stressed worked up quite the appetite. “Why would humans even own such a device?”

    **Humans are not smart.** Venom responded easily.

   “You can say that again,” Loki agreed popping one of the frozen rounds into his mouth and chewing absently. They weren't horrible per say, but they certainly weren't hashedbrowns. Unfortunately they were all out of potatoes, having used them all up with Steven's cooking demonstration.

  **Why, you heard me the first time?**

   “No, it’s just an expression,’ Loki replied looking over the bag in his hands. “Maybe we should try to cook these.”

 

***1 hour later***

 

    **Aaaggghhhh turn it off!!!** The symbiote practically screeched as if trying to out loud the loud object.

   “I am trying!” Loki yelled over the horrific high pitched tone now blaring from the small round disc above him on the ceiling.”It doesn’t work the same as the picture box! There’s no remote thingy!”

  He could feel it straight to his bones and was at odds with trying to cover his ears to try to block it out, or use his hands to try to reach it. Venom was no help, trying to retreat as far into him as possible, not that Loki could blame him. He felt as though he were being ripped open from the sound the device was emitting. He thrashed about the kitchen, knocking over the vase of coins, causing it to crash to the floor, his foot lashing out seemingly of its own volition to kick the lower cabinets in frustration. Finally he spotted the broom and snatched it up desperately, grasping it’s handle like a sword and swinging it at the smoke detector.

  The device went flying across the room, but didn’t cease it’s endless racket. Yelling in rage, Loki chased after it, opening his front door and using the broom to literally sweep it into the hall with one swipe. He instantly closed the door and backed away until he could barely hear its bleating. His heart hammering in his chest as he bent over, grabbing his knees as he caught his breath.

   “By the nine, this mortal’s abode is full of traps,” Loki panted in dismay. Finally the ridiculous device stopped its infernal racket and Loki sighed in relief. Though the silence was soon broken by a knock on the door.

   “Loki, it’s Steve,” Rogers announced as he cautiously opened the door onto the smoke hazed room, still holding the smoke detector in one hand. “I uh, heard the smoke detector, is everything alright?”

   Loki spotted the device and straightened up quickly. “Do not bring that wicked device back in here!” He warned pointing to it in disgust.

  **He’s not listening** , Venom warned in equal disgust. **Lets eat him now.**

   “The smoke alarm?” Steve asked with a bit of a smile. “It was just doing its job.” He explained going to the window and throwing it open. He then turned and went into the kitchen, setting the smoke detector down on the counter and placing a small silver rectangle next to it as he continued on to the oven. Wordlessly he opened the door, sputtering and waving his hand at the thick smoke that puffed out. “I don’t think these are going to be edible,” he remarked grabbing a dishrag and using it to extract the tray of black cubes. “Whatever they are.”

   “They were tater tots,” Loki supplied watching Steve closely from the corner of his eye, as he now held the broom like a weapon and approached the now silent disc. “And they would be if the damned thing would stay lit.”

  “Lit?” Steve questioned in surprise, peering into the oven to see burnt paper and sticks in the bottom of it. “Oh Loki, this isn’t a wood burning oven.” he informed in a bit of a piteous tone. His poor neighbor must be so lost here.

    **Kill it!** Venom demanded as Loki poked the plastic disc with the end of his broom.

   “I believe it’s already dead,” Loki said poking it again a little harder.

    **Kill it again, just to be sure.**

   “Loki,” Steve chuckled coming over and picking up the small silver rectangle. “It’s not going to go off again, I removed its battery.”

   “Oh, very well then,” Loki said, smoothing his hair as he straightened up and looking around at the mess he’d created while thrashing about. “Thank you Steven.”

   “Anytime,” He replied thoughtfully. “Though, why don’t I show you how to use this oven? I could help you cook some Tater tots that maybe were edible if you’d like.”

   “Oh would you,” Loki said sighing in relief, seems letting this Steven live awhile longer was proving beneficial. “Thank you Steven. I simply can’t stomach anymore frozen ones.”

   “Uh, sure,I’d be delighted to.” Steve said unsure what to think of his new friend eating frozen taters tots. He actually felt even more sorry for him, here he was in a strange country with no idea how to work the appliances or how to cook a simple meal. He helped clean out the ashes and wood, not even beginning to question where Loki had procured that from, then began walking Loki through it. “Well first you’ve got to read the directions on the bag.” He explained, going patiently step by step to show Loki where to find the cooking instructions, to how to properly set the oven temperature as well as the timer. Explaining deliberately how it used gas to keep the fire going and not wood. In fact nothing in this apartment should be ever lit on fire. To which Venom thoroughly agreed.

  He then even helped Loki clean up as they were cooking, the ding alerting them sometime later that their meal was finished.

   “I’ve got to get to work, so I’ll leave you to vacuum up the rest of the mess,” Steve said as he headed out. “I think Scott keeps it in the hall closet. “

   “Thank you Steven,” Loki said glancing back in the direction he’d noted.

   “Anytime buddy,” He said honestly, giving his friend a broad grin. “I know what it’s like to be in a place where everything is unfamiliar. Don’t be afraid to ask for help next time. “

   “We won’t,” Loki said smiling at the term ‘buddy’. Oh Steven, pack bonding already. They were definitely not _Buddies_ , however, if Steven thought as much than he must also find him relatively harmless.

  **Chocolate** The Symbiote piped up pulling him from his thoughts.

  “Already on it,” Loki said procuring the bottle from the cold box and drizzling it onto the pile of tots. “Hey, what do you suppose a vacuum is?”

*********

   Loki tossed his head a bit in his sleep, he wasn’t dreaming, of that the Symbiote was certain, though he wasn’t awake either. Stuck in between, just on the cusp of full sleep. His heart blipping as a sudden unsuredness swept through him.  
 

  “ Mmmm Vee?” Loki mumbled, his brow furrowing and hand opening where it rested beside his head as his brain searched for someone..some thing.

  Venom was at first surprised, then felt a twinge of fondness as he recognized that it was the Symbiote that Loki was seeking. It was odd at being called for by his host, one who denied such sentiment vehemently. Or so he said.

  Venom wrapped himself tighter around his host, surrounding him in warmth, a small tendril extending to rest in his host's palm. **Shhhh I got us.** He assured the man gently.

  Loki simply sighed, his features smoothing as his hand close softly around the black limb and he drifted back into sleep again. Venom chuckled a bit to itself, seems its instincts at choosing Loki where better than it had hoped. Oh yes, he’d be keeping this host for quite awhile.


	15. Chapter 15

**Loki wake up.** Venom urges, trying to rouse his host.

  Loki grumbled wearily and rolled over onto his stomach. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep on the couch last night, but now it was too comfortable to leave so soon.  


 **Loki**! Venom growls impatiently and it extends front tendrils suddenly, tossing his host straight up into the air then lets him drop again, delighting as his body bounces a bit upon the soft cushions

  “By the Nine, what is wrong with you?!” Loki spat sitting up and rubbing his face in disgust

  **Hungry**. The symbiote explains shortly

  “Then have an apple,” He says grabbing one off the side table where he'd placed the fruit in a bowl to await consumption and taking a bite,

  **NO!** The symbiote snarls in distaste and Loki immediately spits it out and flings it across the room, neither of his own accord

  “You are seriously trying my patience today,” He warns narrowing his gaze at the discarded fruit. He used to enjoy apples and gad been hoping when they’d picked them up that he could reach some sort of compromise with the creature, but now it seemed there’d be no reasoning with it.

  **I need real food, not plants** Venom continued haughtily

  “ Well it’s still daylight outside so we can’t go get any real food,” Loki explained using the same tone. “ therefor plants will have to suffice.”

  **Fine,** Venom grumpily conceded **give me tater tots.**

  Loki sighs but gets up and retrieves the bag from the freezer. The sooner he gives the symbiote what it wants, the sooner he can get what he wants, Which right now is more sleep. He dumps them out onto the oven tray and slides them into the appliance. Carefully reading the back of the bag as Steven had instructed and turning the knob to the appropriate setting.

  **How long will this take?** Venom asks as impatient as ever.

  "The bag says 30 minutes,” Loki supplies before tossing said bag in the waste and going back to lie down upon the couch.

  **How long is that?**

  “I’ve honestly no idea,” Loki says as he settles back in and closes his eyes. “The oven shall alert us when they are done.”

  The symbiote seems content with that answer and Loki soon drifts back to sleep. Only to be awoken later by the creature’s urgent tones.

  **Loki wake up the fire is back** Venom alerts him and he can feel the symbiote roil a bit nervously within.

  Loki pops his head up quickly to see the room filling with smoke, he immediately gets up and runs to oven, pulling out charred tater tots and turns oven off.

  “How long was I asleep for?” He asks looking upon the blackened waste of tots in confusion.

  **Not 30 minutes by your memory**. The symbiote supplied easily.

  
  “I don’t understand, the thing never went ding, did it?”

  **I heard no ding**

  Just then the door bursts open, “Loki is everything alright?” Steve asks looking around fire extinguisher in hand. “I smelled smoke.”  
\

  “Why steven, you must have the nose of a hunting hound,” Loki remarks playfully holding up the tray of burnt tater tots.. “Just another cooking disaster it would seem, and whatever is that thing?”

  “Fire extinguisher,” Steve replies, immediately going to open a window. “Where’s your smoke detector?”

  **We killed it**

  “You know, it was broken, we had to dispose of it” Loki replied flippantly.

  “Broken?” Steve asked setting down the extinguisher and coming over to get a closer look at Loki’s latest culinary flub. “ How’d it break?”

  **We dropped it off the tall building on 25th** The symbiote stated proudly

  “We dropped it,” Loki replied nonchalantly.

  “Well, we should get you another one, just to be safe. In the meantime, would you like some help with dinner? Uhhh what were those?”

  “Tater tots.” Loki supplied plopping thee pan down upon the stove top and dislodging several of the charred balls.

  “Of course, I should have guessed,” Steve replied jovially. “How long did you leave them in for?”

  “I’ve honestly no idea,” Loki said sighing a bit as he puzzled over how something so simple had gone so wrong. “ but the oven never dinged, of that I can most certainly assure you.”

  “That’s odd, maybe your timer is broken.” Steve remarked thoughtfully.

  **Timer?** Loki and Venom asked at the same instance.

  “Uh, yeah, you did set the timer, right?”

  **Obviously not.**

  “I may have ommitted that step,” Loki admitted,cringing a bit at the now obvious answer.

  “Right, don’t worry, “ Rogers reassured him patiently. “let’s just start over again from the top.”

  “Steven what would we ever do without you?”

  **Starve**

  Loki could barely suppress the eye roll at the symbiote’s dramatics.They wouldn’t, in fact they’d likely be out hunting again as soon as the sun went down, and shopping. What tater tots they had left in the freezer would be just enough to buy Loki a few more hours of rest without the symbiote’s interference.

**************

  It’s not that Loki particularly liked eating humans, he honestly found the entire event quite vile. However, he couldn’t help feeling a sense of predation as they hunted. The humans were so easily singled out, the ‘low lifes’ preferring the dark recesses of the city. Which only made it that much easier to allow the symbiote to dine without any fear of being noticed.

  He’d experimented a bit, testing to see where the line in the sand of morality was drawn. Surprisingly, if he presented himself as a youngling, most either ignored him or jeered him with chants of ‘get back home to mommy’. However none seemed comfortable attacking him in this form. Good to see that they at least possessed some sense of deep rooted ethics.

  A little older, young warrior age, drew them out a bit if he was male. Though it often only proved useful for straight on attacks as the humans wouldn’t be drawn off by a young male. A young female however, why they were like dogs in heat. Give them a pretty face, pert bosom, and a body just entering into womanhood and they couldn’t resist. Why he’d practically have them eating out of his hands by the time he allowed the symbiote to emerge. Feeling the rush of power each time as the creature took over. The grating crunch as it’s teeth rent flesh and crushed through bone effortlessly. His adrenaline would be spiking well into euphoric levels as Venom extracted their organs straight from within their chest cavities with its elongated tongue, though most it preferred to just eat whole. The metallic tinge of blood lingering in the back of Loki’s throat long after the meal feasting was done.

  They’d come across humans that seemed to have no homes, foul smelling beings, covered in filth and often not sound of mind.Vagrants like the woman often sitting upon cardboard outside their home building. Loki didn’t think it would be a good idea for his symbiote to eat these as they likely harbored any number of diseases. Though whether or not either of them could catch these diseases, seemed a secondary point to the matter. Same as the brothel girls he encountered late at night, selling their bodies on the dark streets. He’d been around enough to know that if you partook in those pleasures, you’d likely wake up with something you didn’t go to bed with. And he didn’t mean a symbiote.

  He supposed he should feel some modicum of guilt, killing the humans that his brother had cherished, even fallen in love with. But it wasn’t all humans, no. Some, like Steven he could even say he liked, or rather tolerated better than other as he was proving quite useful.. However, these were the worst of them, the lowest of the low, the dregs of society, and really, the rest of the species should be thanking him for helping to clean up their numbers. Lest they prey on their own kind.

  Like these two leading Loki into a side alleyway, only they thought they were simply leading a very young female, just into her womanhood, with the premise of her showing them a good time. She had met the two stepping out of the shadows and approached, playing meek. Explaining that she was out of town and needing some money, using the line the brothel girls would use and promising to show the two a good time. A ludicrously low price had been settled on for the promise of oral favors and they were soon off and Loki felt his loathing for these two rising. The way the flanked her closely, glancing back at her often with greedy eyes. The lecherous scum. If this was Asgard they’d be quartered and publicly shamed for such behavior towards a girl so young. If they were not so young themselves, they’d likely have been castrated.

  “You sure you want to do this little girl?” The guy on her right suddenly stopped to ask, the guy on her left halting as well as the moved to box her in. Her back to the brick wall behind her. “, what if I’m dangerous?”

    **What if we are?** Venom asked, and the girls hand suddenly shot out grabbing the guy on her right by the throat and lifting him easily off the ground. In her left hand a black dagger appeared seemingly ou of nwhere,and she turned to the creep on her left.

  “Whoa,whoa,” the young guy said holding up his hands in surrender. “We don’t want any trouble.”

  “Trouble?” Loki mused, flipping his wrist and launching the dagger at his target so fast that his hand appeared to have never moved. The dagger hilt however now protruded a bit from the man’s palm,the blade impaling his hand and nailing it into the stone wall behind him. The guy's mouth was open in shock and pain as he grabbed his wrist with his free hand,wanting to free himself, yet not wanting to make it any more painful than it already was.  
  
  “Why this is no trouble at all….. **For us**  Venom finished as the black ooze slowly encased the girl before them, forming her into a giant, muscled creature with a great gaping maw full of razor teeth. Neither one ever got their screams out before the beast devoured them.  
  
  Loki eyed the dagger curiously that was still holding what was left of the guy to the wall, which is essentially just a hand and a bit of wrist at this point. The rest now residing inside Venom's gut, though technically it was his gut as well. The symbiote having receded back inside and was resting contenetedly within.

  “Hello that's not one of mine,” He remarks taking in the weapons smooth black hilt, shining like ink in the dim alley light.

  **No, it's one of ours** Venom replies proudly.  
  
  “Very clever,” Loki remarks approvingly, extracting the dagger and ignoring the hand falling to the ground.Had the symbiote created this knowing his own preferance for blades as a weapon. There was noother explnation for it. Loki would be lying if he didn't admit that he was a little impressed with the creature's prowess and attention to detail He carefully gives it a little flip and as it lands in his palm, it absorbs into his skin, melding back with the symbiote inside him. “Very clever indeed.”  
  
  He can feel Venom thrumming in satisfaction at his approval of the dagger and can't help but smile himself. Seems this union was ever full of useful surprises.


	16. Chapter 16

  "You remember that hand they recovered from the alley off fifth a few days ago?" Tony was asking as he sipped his orange juice. At least Steve thought it was just orange juice, with Tony, you never really knew.

  
   "Yeah," Steve replied, his brow furrowing as he recalled the grizzly details. "the one that looked like it had been bitten off."

  "Bitten? Really Steve?" Tony scoffed openly with a scowl. " Do we have werewolves now? We're going with the bear trap theory on this one."

  Steve just shrugged, not really agreeing, but not wanting to argue it. "Okay, bear trap, got it."

  "Well they identified it, Charles Barkley."  
  
  Steve went a bit wide eyed at the news. "The son of the head of the Southside Dreds Charles Barkley?"

  "One and the same," Stark confirmed proudly as if he was the one to discover it. "the guy was wanted for so many rapes and murders that I lost count."  
  
  "Yeah, though we never could get him put away, the witnesses were always too scared to testify." Steve huffed as he recalled his frustration.   
 

  "More like,Daddy has too many connections.” Tony remarked dryly finishing his juice and motioning the empty glass for the waiter to refill. "Well, it looks like we won't have to worry about that anymore, somebody took care of him for us. Family says he's went missing about the same time that hand showed up."

  
  "Rival gang?" Though Rogers hoped not, that's all they needed in this city, a gang war.

  
  "That's what everyone would think, except none have stepped up to claim the glory. Also, there's apparently gang members disappearing all over the city."  
  
  "Do you think it's a vigilante?" Rogers didn't like that idea any better than a gang war. The thought of some wild card, regular Joe trying to take matters into his own hands. There was so many ways that could go wrong.

  
  "I don't know, no witnesses," Tony shrugged as the waiter brought him another juice. "Only the occasional hand found in an alley, sometimes a head."  
  
  "A head??"  
  
  "Oh yeah, forgot to tell you about that one." Tony said though failed to elaborate further. "Whoever it is isn't really leaving any clues, no weapons, no fingerprints, not even a stray bullet shell. Seems to like using bear traps to remove body parts though."  
  
  "That's really weird."

  
  "Everyone's got a kink,"Stark responded with a wink. "Though to be honest, he is making our lives a bit easier."  
  
  "Tony, that's - "

  "What? Don't even act like you're upset about it." Stark argued quickly cutting the sometimes far too righteous man off. " We've been trying to put these guys behind bars for years, nobody could touch them. Nobody working within the law anyway."  
  
  "Yeah, well, what happens when this vigilante run out of bad guys?" Rogers returned flatly.

  
  "Steve, this is New York," Tony quickly assured him. "There's definitely no shortage of bad guys."

  
  "Still, I'll be sure to keep my eyes open." Steve assured him. " See if I notice anything out of the ordinary."  
  
  "You mean like werewolves?" Stark quipped.

  
  "Ha ha." Rogers deadpanned back.

  
  "Well you do that, me, I'm going to enjoy the break while I can. Hey you really should too. Maybe take a vacation, get out of the city."

  
  "I can't do that."Steve frowned at the idea.

  
  "Why not?"

  "Because what if Loki," Steve paused as he realized that he hadn't really brought Stark up to speed on his new friend. " I have a new neighbor and he's not really from the US. Poor guy is completely lost here. He actually tried to light a fire in his oven the other day to cook." Rogers couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the recollection.

  "Now that's just weird," Tony stated only half listening.

  "No, well maybe a bit." Steve shrugged, it was a bit weird. " But I feel for the guy. I know what it's like to be lost in this big city."  
  
  "Uh huh," Stark narrowed his gaze a bit as Steve's tone caught his attention. "You sure that's all there is between you two?"

  "Yes Tony," Steve replied with an exasperated sigh. Stark always seemed to think Steve needed 'hooking up'.

  
  "Is he single?"

  
  "I...I haven't really asked," Rogers replied honestly. His talks with Loki had only really been of the culinary variety. Maybe he should get to know him better. 

  
  "Well get to it man!" Stark proclaimed downing the rest of his second drink and getting to his feet. " And if he isn't, take a vacation."

  
  "Oh yeah? Is Cancun is nice this time of year?" Steve returned, knowing this was their goodbye banter for the morning.

  
  "Cancun is nice any time of the year Steve," Tony returned with a wave over his shoulder as he departed. However Rogers doubted he'd really take any vacations, the man enjoyed tinkering in his basement too much. For him, uninterrupted tinkering would be a vacation.  
  
 **********

 

  Loki was a bit surprised to hear a knock at his door, and quickly wrapped a towel about his waist as he went out investigate. His hair still damp from the bath and curling a bit unruly, he snags a second towel, to scrub at them, hoping it’ll dry quicker and he can straighten them again.

  **It’s Neighbor Steve** Venom informed before he could even open it. The news bringing a smile to the man's lips.

  “Ah, hello Steven,” Loki greeted warmly as he opened the door. “To what do we owe this pleasure.”

  “Wow, you sure..” Steve had to pause as he was not prepared to be greeted by his half naked new neighbor and was about to say something completely wrong in this situation. “Are in a good mood.” He finally finished.

  “Always am after a good hot bath,” Loki replied with a smirk.

  **Yes, we should have more of these hot baths** The Symbiote suggested greedily.

  “Well, I was wondering, if uh..” Steve was finding it a bit difficult to formulate his sentences and pointedly not looking anywhere but Loki’s eyes. At least he tried, but it was human nature to just glance.. “If you wanted to join me for dinner and a movie, as uh, new neighbors.”

  “That sounds delightful,” Loki said flashing him a broad grin, though had zero idea what a moovee even was.

  **No it doesn’t** Venom grumbled, his tone suddenly darkening as he tightened his hold around his host.

  “It does? I mean, oh, good,” Steve said letting out a sigh of relief. “I was hoping it wouldn’t sound too cheesy.”

  “Cheesy?” Loki inquired though was beginning to get distracted by the symbiote moving within him. Feeling it’s tendrils just under his skin, sliding slowly across his abs.

  “Oh, it’s just an expression,” Steve explained turning to go into his apartment. “ See you in half an hour?”

  “Sure, I think I can finish and be dressed by then,” Loki supplied turning and closing his own door as he still felt the symbiote roiling within.

  **He was checking us out!**

  "He most certainly was not," Loki scoffed at the very idea.

  **He was, He likes us.Loki. I saw it in his eyes. I like us too.**

  Loki felt venom slithering down his stomach, shivering involuntarily at the contact as the touch neared his groin. Did this symbiote know what he was doing? Venom has certainly seen him naked already, however that felt like a compliment of a more sexual nature.

   “You have to be imagining things.” Loki panted a bit, already beginning to get turned back on by all the petting.

  **I never imagine, I know** Venom purred in his deep bravado. **Loki, I’m hungry again.**

  By the nine there was no escaping the lust that welled up inside him.  He knew the symbiote was just after more endorphins, the greedy creature, and he really should be embarrassed by how easily it had learned to press his buttons, but with his orgasms lately being far better and more intense than ever before, it was difficult to not give in. Almost as though the symbiote acted as an aphrodisiac of sorts. Though honestly, he could just be ridiculously horny lately, it had been awhile since he’d had any sort of partners in that sense. That would have been his excuse if he’d been able to think more on it, instead of just flinging off his towel on the bed and quickly taking his already stiffening member back into his hand.

**********

   Loki watches in trepidation as Steven raised the small handheld number pad, his finger already on the little round red button at the top. He braced himself, ready for the chaos to come flooding out of the glass rectangle on the wall, but for some reason it didn't. Just a quiet screen of cerulean blue announcing that the disc was loading.

  Loki watched it and Steven thoughtfully as he took another bite of this pizza. It wasn't bad, once Venom had him remove all the meat pieces from it, basically leaving him with cheese, crust, and a few black olives that the symbiote didn't really care for, but allowed as Loki enjoyed their sharp taste.

  “I've never seen this movie before,” Steven admitted taking a bite of his own slice as he scrolled through the opening menu and hit play, Loki studying how he operated the remote device closely. “But Tony says it's really good.”

  “Tony?” Loki asked curiously, not recognizing the name.

  **Have we eaten a Tony?** Venom inquired from within.

  “Uh yeah, Tony Stark,” Steven filled in, looking like he was waiting for the other man's recognition of the name. “Do you know him?”

  “I don't believe so,” Loki replied to both, then scowled as the television started blaring music loudly at them.

  “Oh, sorry, that's a bit loud,” Rogers said quickly adjusting the volume, Loki definitely taking note of that button as he did.

  They sat in relative silence as they watched the movie. Loki finding it extremely curious at first, the picture box that projected filmed illusions. He easily caught on to who the main characters were, though their methods seemed far too brash and Thor like for his taste. Weapon fire, explosions, car chases. All because these guys broke into the heroes house and killed his canine. That he was apparently quite attached to, though Venom decided looked delicious. More gunfire, unrealistic fight scenes, another car chase. Did nobody think to talk things out diplomatically in this realm? No wonder his brother liked it so much here.

  **We like it here as well.** The symbiote chimed in at its host's thoughts.

  Loki just frowned and pointedly ignored it.

   The Movie was ramping up, the hero having killed off most of the other guys when right on screen, the apparent bad guy lost his head. Quite literally.

  "Haha," Loki and Venom laughed openly at the silly fakeness of it all. Was that supposed to be blood? And it didn't even sound like a decapitation, where was the crunch from cutting through bone? The ones who created this had obviously never witnessed one in real life. Loki had, mainly thanks to Venom. He glanced over to see if Steven is equally amused, but instead is greeted by a far too quizzical face. Uh oh, apparently laughing was the wrong reaction. “ I mean ohhh noooo," he quickly corrects.  Stuffing another piece of pizza in his mouth as they turned back to the movie.

  He did learn through this moovee that the weapon he'd seen the human use that one time had been called a gun. A rather archaic weapon, using metal projectiles to inflict damage. Something to keep an eye out for, though he wondered if Venom was immune to these bullets?

  **I am** The Symbiote quickly assured him.

  “Well,” Steven says rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he walks Loki to the door. “That was..”

  “Chaotic,” Loki fills in for him.

  “ Yes, thank you,” Rogers says breathing out a sigh of relief.

  “Apologies Steven, that was, not my cup of tea I’m afraid. The peetzah was fantastic, the moovee however, not so much.” He explained getting to his feet to leave. The Pizza was nice, but was doing nothing to sate his appetite, or rather the symbiote's appetite.

  “Yeah well,” Steven said more relaxed now that Loki was sharing the same view and getting up to walk him to the door. “I didn't really care for it much either. Maybe next time we won't let Tony pick the movie.”

  **We should go practice some real decapitations** Venom suggested eagerly.

  “Definitely not,” Loki said to both and heard the symbiote grumble deep within.

  “Well, until next time then.” Steven says a bit hopefully.

  “Until then,” Loki replies with a smile as he turns to head into his own door just across the hall.from “goodnight Steven.”

  “Goodnight.”

 ***************  
  
  It was late as Loki allows Venom climb to top of building and he sits on the ledge looking over the city. Now feeling calm and sated with a bit fuller belly.  
  
 **You are not afraid even at this height?**

   “I am certain that you will not be letting us fall any time soon, and if you did, then it would only be a moment or two before it was no longer a concern” Loki replied matter of factly

   **Of course I won’t let us fall.**  Venom snapped back sharply, it doesn’t like the suicidal finality in its hosts's voice.

  Loki merely huffed at his indignation at the suggestion.

  **I do not like Neighbor Steven Looking at you like that Loki,** The symbiote continued boldly. **You are Mine.**

  Loki narrowed his eyes as he feels that same possessive flare from Venom, the tightening of coils he’d now begun to associate with apparently a rather jealous symbiote. He also knew exactly how to push said symbiote’s buttons on the matter.

   “Perhaps he’d just like to have a bit of fun, “ Loki stated suggestively, his mind conjuring far too vivid images of what dear neighbor Steven may have in mind

    **NO! You are mine!** Venom snarls, and Loki finds himself suddenly thrown sharply back on the narrow edge, black tendrils leaking out his wrists to pin his arms, and more emanating from behind him as that now familiar head appears to hover above him. **I will be all the fun we need.**

  Loki gasps as tendrils slide up his shirt, smoothing across his chest and circling his nipples, teasing them into firmness, causing the him to writhe a bit under their touches,before giving both a sharp squeeze at the same time. Biting his lip as he arched into them an feeling his pants tighten as his cock stiffened under the tantalizing touches.

  Venom felt it too, humming as he reflected Loki’s own pleasure back at him, The symbiote making quick work of freeing his erection. Loki felt the cool air against his delicate skin for just a moment before it was assaulted. A long slick tongue sliding straight up his shaft, then another tendril formed a hand and completely enveloped it. The heat encircling it seeming to build as it was gently stroked in smooth sure motions, eased by the creature’s own saliva. Of course Venom would know how to do this, he’d seen Loki do it enough times.

  Suddenly Loki felt that long tongue lathing up his abs, the tendrils, lifting his shirt easily to expose his skin to the creature. The mix of sensations was heady, the hot hand stroking him firmly, the slick tongue now lathed over his nipple, while a tendril circled the other one, Loki was soon panting and pushing needily into the hand. Venom seemed to know exactly when to increase pressure and speed,of course he did, he was in his head, feeling every sensation, feeding it back to him on some sort of loop and then feasting off the chemicals his brain produced for it. But Loki was beyond caring. Let the creature gorge himself if this was how he aimed to get it.

  His climax came rather quickly, a bit of a shame really. He was just getting into that. However, oddly neat. He glanced down, expecting to see his spill, but the symbiote had apparently absorbed that as well somehow. Well, that was efficient.

  **See Loki,** Venom purred smugly. **We are fun.**

  “Indeed we are,” Loki said still lying on the ledge as the symbiote retreated back inside and his heart rate normalized. “Now that is a clever trick.” He mused feeling Venom purr in satisfaction from within. One they’d definitely be repeating, and soon. Though, perhaps not on the edge of a building.


	17. Chapter 17

  Loki stepped out the door the next evening, smiling as he encountered Steven also heading out.

  **He is checking us out again** , The symbiote grumbled from within.

  “Oh wow Loki, you're looking good tonight. “ Steve stated smiling back at his friend. “Hot date?”

    **You do look good Loki** Venom purred teasingly, sliding one of his tendrils unseen along the line of this chest following the v edge of the shirt collar.

  “No,” Loki replied curiously, as he scratched at his chest trying to get the symbiote to stop its games. He was unsure what this hot date was supposed to be, but as far as he knew, he wasn't going anywhere hot. He'd merely discovered some more refined combinations of clothing in the mortal Scott's closet decided to take them for a spin. However, this was a pleasant reaction from his friend, so perhaps he'd wear one of these simple cloth jackets and shirts that had a V shaped opening together more often. “Not that I'm aware of.”

   “Tragically single, I get it man, “ Steve said clapping Loki on the shoulder as they headed towards the elevator together. Loki feeling his symbiote curl around him with a bit tighter than necessary.

  **You are not single, I am here. That makes us a pair.**

   “I wouldn’t say that,” Loki said to both at the same time.

   “Oh yeah?” Steve asked honestly curious.

   “Let’s just say it’s complicated,” Loki informed, and boy was it ever.

  **It is not complicated,** Venom corrected sharply.  **You are mine.**

  “Well hey, I'm headed to meet a friend for drinks, you're welcome to join us.”

  **No**

  “I'd be delighted to,” Loki smirked, and sometimes it was the little things that brought him joy, like going against his symbiote’s wishes. Also, it would be useful to find out how many other friends Steven had just in case he ever made him disappear.

  “Great, I'm sure Tony will be happy to meet you,” Steve assured him.

  “Tony? The chooser of bad moovees, Tony?” Loki asked, hoping to finally put a face with the name.

  “One and the same,” Steve said as he lead the way. “Though I won’t tell him you said that.”

*************

  Once they arrived, Loki immediately noticed how the two human males were very comfortable with each other. Introductions were made and Steve and Tony easily fell into conversation like they’d been speaking about the subjects without any break. Even their back and forth banter was perfectly at ease. The current topic appeared to be the crime rate in Steve’s neighborhood being down for the first time in years. Tony was accusing him of something called ‘working overtime’ to which Steven was assuring him simply wasn’t so. While Steven reminded Tony that the man had said he was supposed to be someplace called Can-Coon. To which Tony scoffed, lying in his denial so badly that even Steven should be able to see through it.  
  
  "And leave all this?" Tony said airily, to which Steven just smiles broadly and shakes his head.

   “I apologize, I’ve just got to ask,” Loki said broaching the subject.

  “Go ahead, get it over with,” Tony says already posturing as he’s expecting the usual starry eyed realization when he confirms who they obviously think he is.

   “Are you..”

  “The Tony Stark, “ Tony is already finishing for him. “yes.”

    **Mating?** Venom inquires catching onto Loki’s line of thought.

   “Two together?,” Loki finished. Ignoring Venom’s more vulgar assessment

  “Together?” Tony gaped obviously a bit thrown off by the question. “As in romantically? I don’t think so, Steve have we been dating this whole time and you haven’t told me? Pepper is going to be pissed.”

   “No, we’re not dating. Just friends,” Steve quickly supplied, though was actually smiling at somebody being able to derail the great Tony Stark.

  “Oh,Very well then, carry on. “ Loki replied with a shrug. He’d nearly been certain there, but just close acquaintances it would seem. That made it a bit less complicated should one or both disappear.

  “Wait, you really don’t know who I am?” Tony asked a bit flabbergasted at the notion. “ Tony Stark, _THE_ Tony Stark, Genius inventor billionaire, developer of Stark tower, inventor of the arc reactor, and the future of clean energy.”

  “Is that impressive? Should we be impressed?” Loki asked though was checking more with his symbiote than Steven. Rogers was now covering his mouth to suppress his laughter too much to be able to answer anyway.

  **Let’s eat his brain. That would be impressive.**

   “Iron Man?” Tony was still rambling off his achievements

   “No,” Loki replied easily, meaning the response for both, again, public setting. Really Venom, it wasn’t that difficult of a concept.

  “You have never heard of me?” Stark went on still in disbelief.

   “I am not from here,” Loki answered easily, relying on the old fall back to explain away any oddness.

   “And they don't have Television where you're at?”

  “No.” Loki replied honestly enough, however was yet unsure what type of vision this television was.

   Tony looked absolutely affronted, though Steven seemed to be bursting at the seams to hold back his laughter. Tony was always one to bask in his fame and glory and here was somebody who was treating him just as another ordinary person. It was honestly so refreshing.

  “Be nice Tony, he’s from out of town,” Steve warned, he’d invited Loki along and didn’t want Stark making him feel uncomfortable.

   “Oh yeah, where exactly?” Tony inquired taking sudden interest in the other man.

   Loki froze, unsure what his answer should be. He certainly couldn’t say Asgard. “I’m sorry?”

   “Where are you from? It's an easy enough question.”

    **We should have eaten his brain** Venom piped up rather unhelpfully, though he was beginning to side with the voracious creature on this one. This Tony human was suddenly far too curious for his own good. Still, it wasn't exactly a private enough setting to let the symbiote out, and they'd of course have to take Steven out as well, just to tie up loose ends. So, with a sigh, Loki quickly thought up an answer.

   “Oh all over really,” Loki explained flippantly. “ I tend to get around.”

  “Well where were you born?” Tony continued

  **Try the truth, it worked with neighbor Steve.** True enough, though they hadn't exactly broached this subject with neighbor Steven yet.

   “Jotunheim,” Loki supplied with a shrug, though he’d never actually told that to Steven either. Still hopefully the truth would work out for him again.

  “Where is that, Jarvis? “ Loki’s eyes narrowed as he watched The other man apparently speaking to somebody he couldn’t see in his earpiece. “Norway?”

  “Yes, that’s correct,” Loki said just deciding to go with it.

  “ That explains it, I should’ve guessed, isn’t Loki the brother of Thor in Norse mythology?” Loki bristled at the mention of his former brother’s name and felt Venom answer with a warning growl of his own. Tony oblivious just kept rambling on “wasn't he the God of thunder or something?”

  “Lightning” Loki corrected with a scowl.

  “Yes, that was it Lightning. You know, you don’t sound Norwegian. More of a 17th century British thing you’ve got going on.”

   Steve fortunately opted to step in at just that moment seeing his friend’s unease.”Tony could you please stop grilling my friend.”

   “It’s fine Steven, however, I just recalled, have someplace to be. “ Loki said getting to his feet. If he stayed, there would be no holding his symbiote back from devouring this man and he was definitely siding with Venom on this one. “I shall see you later Steven,” He said as he headed off.

  “ _Steven_?” Tony asked raising an eyebrow as he used the extended version of his friend’s name.

  “Tony, really?” Steve chided with a frown as he watched his neighbor leave.

  “Look, I don’t know how to break it to you, _Steven,_ but your friend is weird.”

  “He’s not weird,” Steve defended getting to his feet now as well. He’d had just about enough of Tony’s mouth today as well. “He’s just not from here!”

  “Yeah, well wherever he’s from, I’ll bet they think he’s weird there as well.”

***************

   Loki needed to find a human to take some of this tension out on, a really big human, cocky, bad intentions, and then he wanted to twist their head off with his bear hands.

    **That’s the best idea you’ve had all day** Venom answered keenly from within.

   Still, finding the right victim did take a bit of time and several dark alleys.Turns out picking a fight with a human wasn’t as easy as one would expect. Most were quite cowardice or thought him mad, thus wanting nothing to do with his antics and he really was in no mood to expend magic on disguise or even shape shifting right now. Finally settling on a small gang camped under a bridge. Them approaching the belligerent ‘lost’ traveler with intended malice. All in all, he was rather disappointed with their fighting prowess, none even coming close to getting any decent licks in. Loki laying them out quite easily, with a few swift punches and kicks. Norns did it feel good to sink his fists into the largest of them, knocking him clean out cold with a well placed blow. And he did get to perform his decapitation, but then let Venom out to finish the job. His own built up aggression finally spent. It was all rather therapeutic actually and he went home that night feeling much more relaxed than when he’d headed out.  
  
   **See, my way isn't so bad** **afterall** Venom preened smugly.  
  
  "Yes, I'm beginning to see it does have it's up sides," Loki allowed,feeling the symbiote puff up even more at its hosts agreement, and he wasn't lying. For once he was at the top of the food chain, no answering to his brother, or his brother's friends. Here he was strong, resourceful, untouchable even. He could do whatever he wished, whenever, to a certain degree of course, and though he wasn't worshiped as a God here, he certainly felt like one right now.


	18. Chapter 18

  
  Loki read over the lines in the book, feeling more and more incensed by the lore that lay before him.

  **Loki what is the matter?** The symbiote grumbled at being roused from the stasis form it often rested in while Loki read.A form of rest to the creature and a respite from the constant prying for its host, atleast it usually was.

  “It is nothing,” Loki replied swiping at his eyes to find them damp. When did that happen? Damn this ridiculous tale! “It is just this book, go back to sleep, or whatever it is that you were doing.”

  **The book has upset you** Venom deduced just before Loki found his arm curling out and away from him of it’s own volition, flinging the novel across the room. Where it promptly impacted a questionable piece of art that had been encased in a glass shield. The entire thing crashing to the floor in a great racket that was enough to make Loki cringe.

  “Well, that’s so much better now, thank you,” Loki huffed sarcastically as he got up to begin cleaning up the broken glass.

  **You are welcome** The symbiote replied, either missing the sarcasm completely or choosing to ignore it. Loki would wager on it being the latter.

  He was just picking up the largest of the pieces when there’s a knock at the door, causing him to start a bit, the shard of glass slipping and cutting into his hand. Loki winced more out of frustration as he turned his hand over to survey the damage, only to find it healing up already. he was already a fast healer, but he had an idea that this wasn't just his own restorative properties at work here.

  **I got us** Venom piped up, then reminded him that they had a visitor.  **It’s Steven**

  “Of course it is,” Loki smiles not looking up from the cleanup. “Come in Steven.” He calls out.

  “Hey, how’d you know it was me?” Steve asks as he steps through, looking around until he sees the other man squatting by the broken frame.

  “Who else would be visiting us?” Loki returns easily rising and carrying the largest of the pieces over to the trash bin and dropping them inside.

  **Not Scott** Venom piped up causing Loki’s lips to pull up a bit at the corners. Oh now he was all jokes, very funny. **We thought so.**

  
  “Oh wow, did that just fall on it’s own?” Steve asked ignoring the previous question, he didn’t know if Loki had made any friends here yet, but by his reply he was guessing he hadn’t and felt quite bad for the guy. So instead of making it awkward, he decided to deflect and change the subject for now.

  “Actually, it had some help,” Loki replied as he returned and picked the book up out of the wreckage and handed it over to Steven.

  “Frankenstein,” Steve mused with a small smile as he looked over the novel, then set it aside. “You know, I think I had pretty much the same reaction to it myself. Here, let me help you clean this up. Gotta be careful around this sharp glass or you'll cut yourself.”  
   
   **We already did** Venom filled in causing Loki to frown at being called out for his clumsiness.   
  
  Steve was a bustle of activity and soon found the broom where it was tucked beside the refrigerator as well as an accompanying dust pan. The two soon making quick work of the cleanup.

  “Well, the good news is, I don’t think Scott is going to be too upset about this one being gone,” The larger man mused as they rolled the now torn picture up and placed it into the trash, along with the broken frame.

  “I believe we may have done him a favor by disposing of this one,” Loki joked back easily.

  “Not your taste either?’ Steve teased lightly.

  “Certainly not.”

  “Hey, speaking of which," Rogers continued . bolstered by the easy conversation and wanting to get to know his new neighbor a bit more. " the city has a great art museum, have you been yet?"

  “I have not.” Loki allowed, curious as to what this museum would have in it. He did like art.

  “Well, I’m heading there myself if you’d like to join me?”

  Loki glanced around the apartment and could think of no reason why not. Even the symbiote seemed to be humming happily at the thought of getting out.“I’d be delighted.”

  “Great,” Steve said seeming quite happy about Loki’s acceptance of his invitation. “Oh, that reminds me. I was just about to take my rent down and didn’t know if maybe Scott left you anything to cover his?”

  “Rent?” Loki inquired, completely unfamiliar with the word.

  
  “Yeah, the money we pay to live in these shitty apartments,” Steve returned with a chuckle.

  **Our apartment is not shitty, we have seen shitty.**

  
  “Indeed,” Loki said recalling the tiny cell he’d inhabited prior to coming to Midgard. “How much of the money is required for this rent?”

  Steve supplied the number and Loki continued to eye him as his brain worked to tally the figure, he hadn’t really dealt with anything much over a hundred yet. This was going to take some sorting out.  
Rogers fortunately noticed the concerned way Loki’s brow furrowed though immediately took it for a different reason. “That jerk! I should have known Scott wouldn’t have left you any money for his bills. Look I could help you cover it, if you don’t have enough. It’s no problem, really.”

  “Oh no, I am certain that I have plenty,” Loki immediately supplied, feeling a bit awkward that Steven had offered to give him monies when they did in fact have more than enough, of that he was certain and ironically enough Scott had technically left it to him. Though a bit involuntarily, so it was probably best to just omit where exactly the money came from for now. He just didn’t know how much more than enough that he actually had. “It’s just that I am still quite unfamiliar with the money in such large amounts.”

  “Oh, well I’d be happy to help you count it out,” Steve said smiling as he gave Loki’s shoulder a small pat, “Don’t fret it man, all you gotta do is ask. I’m here for you, remember?”

  **He’d better remember that you are unavailable** Venom growled uneasy at the warm hand that remained on Loki’s shoulder still.

  “Right,” Loki said suddenly turning and going to fetch the bag of monies. Steven was unbelievably helpful, and despite Venom’s warning, his friendly gesture was just that. Friendly. “He was just being amenable,” Loki hissed as he retreated to the bedroom to magic in the bag of money that he’d procured from Scott from his sorcerer’s pocket where he kept important things.

  **Less touching with this being amenable** Venom warned and Loki felt a small squeeze around his cock, causing him to grunt and double over a bit.

  “Would you relax,” Loki hissed, “he’s just a touchy guy. I am certain that he meant nothing by it.”

  **I will not relax. You are mine!** Venom snarled.  **Or do we need reminding?**

  “Is that supposed to be a threat or a turn on darling?” Loki teased earning another sharper grip,as though he’d been bitten down there. He jerked and scowled, “Alright!Alright!” he conceited.

 

  Steve sat patiently helping Loki count out the correct amount of money to cover his rent, which helped give him a better idea of how much they would need in the future. Not that he was currently concerned in the slightest.

  “And how often is this rent paid,” Loki asked curiously.

  “The first of every month,” Steve supplied adding Loki’s money to his. “I’ll be happy to take yours down with mine if you want to just leave it with me. That is, if you’re still here next month?”  
Steve’s voice almost sounded hopeful.

  “I’m sure we will be,” Loki assured him, then quickly added. “Scott did not appear to be in a hurry to return any time soon. His deal was supposedly life changing.”

  “Which means he could be in jail for all we know,” Steve supplied getting to his feet.

  “Anything is possible,” Loki said smiling as he went back to the bedroom to return the money bag to its hiding place.

  **No it is not. He would not be in a cell because we ate him.**

  “Do you wish to tell Steven that?” Loki asked curiosly.

  **Not yet**

  “Then allow him to believe whatever he may wish.” Loki stated just before returning to the living area.

  “Great, why don’t we drop this trash off on our way as well,” Steve said putting the money away and bundling up the trash bag.

  “A fine plan,” Loki agreed as he’d yet to discover where to deposit any refuse in this place. Seems Steven was proving more and more help full by the day.  
  
   ************

  Loki actually enjoyed the museum, not so much the historical displays, or the collection of ancient beast skeletons, he'd seen larger, but the art he found most enjoyable. He found himself lingering, taking in every detail and nuance that he could. Venom seemed to be actually being quiet for a change, so perhaps it was sleeping.

  **Not sleeping, stasis.**

  So still listening then, Loki thought as he moved onto the next piece. 

  **I am always listening.**

  Loki shrugged at this, he felt calm and could even feel the symbiote reflecting this pleasant calmness. Much as it did when he was reading, well whenever he wasn't reading a ridiculously horrid tale. Which reminded him that that weren't here alone, turning to see what Steven was up to.

  **He’s watching us** Venom supplied flatly.

  “Oh, apologies,” Loki said stepping up to where the other man was. “I am taking an inordinate amount of time. “

  “No, it’s fine, really,” Steve assured him with a big smile. “I’ve never seen anyone appreciate the art here so much. Take as much time as you like.”

  **Don’t, I’m getting Hungry**

  Loki couldn’t help but laugh a bit at that. Of course the symbiote was hungry, it was always hungry.

  **You seemed to be enjoying yourself, so I waited to tell you.**

  He smiled, Venom had been patient. This certainly wouldn’t appeal to all species, he could appreciate that, and now that he knew where the museum was, he could come back at anytime.

  “That’s alright Steven,” Loki sighed looking around and taking the room in. “I am getting quite famished. “

  “Yeah, me too,” Steve replied glancing at his watch. “You ever eat five guys?”

   “In one night?”Loki replied without thinking, freezing as he realized what had come out of his mouth.

  **Sounds like a good plan** Venom piped up eagerly.  **Great idea neighbor Steven!**

   “What?” Rogers asked,unsure he'd even begun to catch that response right. The image of Tony's suggestion of werewolves suddenly flashing in his head. he shook it away quickly, such a preposterous idea. Loki, a werewolf? That was just a fairy tale, like the Frankenstein book he'd been reading. 

   “What?” Loki asked unsure where this was going and hoping to be able to back peddle out of it.. Did Steven know about his nocturnal activities?

   “The burger joint, Five Guys,” Steve supplied which had Loki mentally sighing in relief, but outwardly furrowing his brow in confusion.

   “What is a burger?” He asked curiously.

  “Oh man, you haven’t had a burger yet?” Steve said clapping his friend on the shoulder as he turned to guide him out. “You are in for a treat.”

 

   Loki was in fact not so into this ‘treat’. He despised the dead patties of meat instantly, turning his nose up as they seared the ground meat discs on the grill. However, he definitely didn’t hate the bag of potato sticks known as fries.

  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize that you didn’t eat meat,” Steve said as he watched his friend eagerly digging into his greasy fries. Definitely no vegetarian werewolves that he'd ever heard of, not that he'd ever seriously thought that Loki could be one. Again, so far fetched, and he'd have to get Tony back for even implanting the thought into his head with such a cockamamie suggestion.

  **We eat meat, just not dead meat.**

  “It’s alright Steven,” Loki assured him. “These fries are more than adequate.”

   “Anyone need any more fries over here?” An employee asked as he came around with a giant metal scoop loaded with the fried potato sticks.

    **Yes!!** Venom and Loki piped up as one. 

   The employee started a bit at the bass voice that answered and quickly dumped the entire scoopful into the bag. Loki merely made a show of clearing his throat as if that's what had caused the change in octave.

   “You sure love your potatoes,” Steve remarked chuckling.

   “Yes we do.” Loki agreed returning his smile.

  **Needs-**

  “Chocolate,” Loki finished then realized that Steve was watching him. “Uh, do they have any chocolate here?”

  “They have chocolate shakes.”

  “Yes, that, we shall have a chocolate shake,” Loki said pulling out his monies as he prepared to go procure one of these shakes.

  “Please, let me,” Steve said stalling his hand. “It’s the least I can do for bringing you to a burger joint.”

  Loki had never seen a shake before, let alone a chocolate one, eyeing the frozen ice concoction curiously before dipping his finger in and taking a taste. Yep, that was definitely chocolate. Without any second thought he began dipping his fries into the shake and happily munching away on them.

  **This is better, I like this chocolate shake.**

  Loki hummed in agreement. Yes, he could have this to eat again and soon.


	19. Chapter 19

 

  “You know what would look good in this empty space?” Loki mused thoughtfully as he stared at the now blank wall space where the now deceased art had once hung.

    **A map**. Loki half wondered if the symbiote came up with that answer its self or stole the answer from his own thoughts.

   “Yes but how do we go about procuring one?” He pondered out  loud.

    **We could ask neighbor Steven.**

   “A fine idea, “ Loki agreed, though he’d thought of that as well.

  Still smiling, he stepped across the hall and knocked upon his neighbor’s door.  
  
  Steve was all smiles to see his new friend visiting him. “Hey Loki, what’s up?”

   Loki furrowed his brow as he tried to glean the meaning of the words that had come from Steven’s mouth, finally just shrugging it off as a strange greeting and deciding to just move on, “Steven we are in need of a map.”

   “Oh, that's a great idea, help you find your way around the city. “ Steve agreed eagerly, ignoring Loki's use of 'we' instead of 'I'. “You know, I think I have one, hold on.”

  **Such a useful human.** Venom hummed pleasantly.

   “That he is,” Loki remarked smiling to himself for this cleverness.

  **We will not eat him just yet.**

  Loki just nodded as Steven returned a few minutes later with the folded paper.

 **********  
  
  Loki smoothed the map out over the wall, finding plastic strips that are sticky on one side in which to hold it in place. He then uncapped the marking device he'd located and looked it over thoughtfully.

    **New York New York is bigger than we thought.** The symbiote observed.

   “Indeed it is,” Loki agreed taking in the wealth of information now before him.

  **So much hunting ground** Venom purred eagerly.

  “Yes, but let's start by figuring out where we are, let's see, we came across this big park here, “Loki spoke, tracing their original route into the city until he located the approximate location of the apartment. From there it was easy to distinguish other important locations, the museum, the coffee shop, the store of groceries, the Five Guys. Once finished he stepped back looking over the map again with all their little red marks now on it. That was basically their hunting grounds, just a small area in such a vast city.

  **We need to expand.**

   “I couldn't agree more,” Loki said, knowing that if they remained hunting the same area over and over that eventually prey would run out and they could get noticed.

   The only downside, was that Loki could only recall small snippets of the map at a time, and taking such a large paper with him on their night rounds seemed wholly unfeasible. Plus, risked damage to their map. So he decided to just pick a different direction each night, head out as far as he cared to, taking stock of any important landmarks to make note of on his nap y when he got home.

**********

   “Oh wow, that's an improvement I'd say,” Steve remarked as he came over for a visit, taking in the map now hanging where the questionable art used to be.” And you look to be making good use of it, there's the museum, the grocery, oh you found Mrs Chen's, that's a great store when you need a bite at 3am.”

    **She does not bite, we bite** Venom corrected dryly

   “Yes she does appear to be always open,” Loki agreed digging through the pantry and looking for the item that Steven had requested. Fortunately, it was in a big white bag labeled ‘sugar’.

   “And you made it out to the South side,” Steve continued leaning into the map to take in Loki’s notes,” but uh, what does this mean, 'GH'?”

    **Good hunting**

   “Uh, go home,” Loki replied as he returned with the sugar in hand, quickly coming up with a more suitable response. He'd been wise to use abbreviations on the map just in case anyone would look at it. “Terrible neighborhoods, dangerous area, definitely not the place to be out for a stroll at night.”

   “Definitely, not,” Steve agreed straightening up and taking the bag of sugar from his friend. “ Although I think you just described all of New York.”

   “I don't know, it's not all bad Steven. You've just got to see it from a different perspective,” Loki mused looking over the map with a small smile. It was quite pretty and quiet once you got up above it, and as far as hunting goes, the city was a proverbial buffet of villainy and scum.

  **Like on top of a building.** Venom added helpfully, noting his favorite vantage point and causing his host's smile to widen just a bit.

  “Well, it's good that you're putting that to use,” Steve remarked. “ I should have thought to do that when I first came back. I was so lost here for months. “

   “Well, you certainly seem to have found your way now.”

   “Yeah, I did. How about you? You think you might stay around after Scott gets back?” Steve sounded almost hopeful and was watching Loki closely as he waited for his response.

  **Scott isn't coming back, besides hunting here is good. We will stay here.**

   “Perhaps,” Loki replied seeming to draw a smile from the other man for his response. “ It seems as though I'm finding my way here as well.”

   “That's good to hear, I don't make many friends and I, well I've really come to think of you as a good one. It would be a shame if you left.” Steve supplied ducking his head a bit shyly as he admitted it.

  **Sentimentality, I changed my mind, let's eat him now** Venom grumbled with no real malice.

   “Thank you Steven,” Loki said chuckling a bit at the symbiote as he walked his friend to the door. “ I do not have many friends myself.”

   “Well, thanks again for the sugar, I'll see you later?” Steve inquired as a way of reminding the other man that it was movie night.

   “I look forward to it,” Loki replied, finding that he honestly did. He was beginning to really enjoy his interactions with this human.

 

  “So no protest about being friends with Steven?” he inquired once the man in question had left.

    **Of course not, I am not unreasonable**. Venom stated. **Just no tricks with Steven**

   “Fair enough, though we should be cautious about what we put on that map. He does tend to be too curious for his own good. It would be a shame to lose the only friend we have.”

  Venom only hummed in response at that, though Loki was beginning to think the symbiote might have a few qualms with eating their friend should it ever come to that.

*************

  Loki sat on the couch, pillows pressed to either ear,and strapped onto his head with the aid of a belt hoping to dull the sound. His hand held the remote tightly. He was determined to conquer this infernal machine, especially after studying another display of it's operation earlier that evening at Steven's.

  **Don't do it** Venom warned in trepidation. Loki could feel the anxiety thrumming from the symbiote and fought to block it from overtaking his own senses. An unfortunate side effect to their joining.

  “Will you relax, I've got this.” He said pressing the power button.

  The rectangle roared to life, some show where cars zoomed around a circular track very loudly while humans yelled about who was operating them and how fast they were going.

  **We do not have this** Venom growled, extending tendrils to push the pillows tighter against his hosts ears.

  Calmly Loki pressed the volume button as he'd watched Steven do, until there was no sound coming from the screen at all. “See,” He smiled triumphantly. “Just as i said, I've got this.”

  Carefully he removed the pillows and pressed the channel button, changing the picture on the screen instantly to one of the weather. It was apparently cold and the humans were a bit excited about it. Droll! He changed it again, and again, finally coming to pause on a cooking show. Slowly he increased the volume so he could hear the human talking.

  “Hello, what have we here?” He watched in eager curiosity as the human prepared the meal, watching as he turned on the stove and which pan he used. Now this was useful.

  **It’s making us very hungry** Venom chimes in, which Loki did his best to ignore. He watched several more of these episodes, pausing only to eat some chocolate in the middle. Because he was quite hungry himself.

  Loki fell asleep on the couch sometime later and the symbiote now emboldened, took it upon himself to explore this tee vee. Using his tendrils to turn the volume back down as he flipped through the channels. His head emerging and resting on his host's upper arm as he eyed the screen. Finally deciding to watch another of these moo vees curiously. This one didn't have any car chases or decapitations, but it did have a few canine, and the story was softer. Male human meets female human that he wishes to mate with. Male human proceeds to screw up royally, female surprisingly still finds him endearing. If he studied it closely, perhaps it could help in their hunting trick. 

  At least that was what he was supposed to be doing, however the symbiote soon got lost in the easy to follow story. These humans were almost likable, perhaps he wouldn't have eaten them if he met them. Like neighbor Steve. Despite words oft to the opposite, Loki enjoyed his company too much to eat him, and anything that made his host happy should be kept alive.

  As though sensing he was being thought about, Loki let out a soft grunt shifted a bit. Venom glanced down at the man he'd chosen as his host. Laying on his side, his face illuminated by the tee vee screen. His brow furrowed tightly and a frown adorning his lips. Venom noted how one hand was laying palm up just beside him. Much as the young woman's was on the moo vee. Following the lead of the characters, venom meticulously formed a hand and placed it in his host's. Loki's fingers seemed to close automatically, lacing through the symbiote's formed digits and holding it gently. Venom smiled as he felt contentment wash through his host and mirrored the action. Another hidden treat that made this man happy. Venom was growing to enjoy discovering these.


	20. Chapter 20

 

  "So this is a vacuum,” Loki mused looking at the machine he'd wheeled out to the center of the floor. He'd already studied it from every angle, strange brush like rollers adorned the front end of it's underside, power button on top, and an odd clear cylinder in its middle like some form of storage container. “I honestly thought it would be bigger.”

  **I don't like it.** Venom grumbled uneasily.

  “And have you seen many vacuums before?” Loki asked tilting it and rolling it experimentally back and forth.

 **I don't have to have seen it to know I don't like it.** The symbiote retorted stubbornly.

  Loki rolls his eyes and flips the power button, holding the handle tightly as he expected… something. Instead the machine just sits as lifeless as ever on the floor.

  **It's not working**

  “Yes, I can see that,” Loki says pushing and pulling it back and forth as if he could jump start it, then flipping the switch on and off a few times.

  **Maybe it needs a battery like the noise disc** Venom offered 

  “Perhaps,” Loki muses tilting it back to look at it closer. He manages to dislodged the canister, but there doesn't seem to be a place to put any batteries. Just a long rope hanging on the back with three metal tongs at one end.

  _Hmm_ Loki thinks, holding the end of the rope in hand as he looks around the room. Finally spotting the wall socket a few feet behind him. "Ah-ha!" he announces, recognizing the hole pattern that should match the metal prongs. Quickly he uncoils enough rope and plugs it in, rushing back to it, to grab the handle and turn it on.

  He was not prepared for the high pitch sound the small machine suddenly bombarded him with. Neither of them were. The sound great his nerves,seeming to tear him open from the inside out. Every nerve on fire as Venom roars echoing his pain, causing him to lash out, kicking the machine over before, sending him to his knees as he covers his ears.

  Loki wants to turn it off, but it's as if he's seizing, being literally ripped apart by the horrific sound. He reaches out to try to reach the machine, but has to immediately cover his ears as the barrage of noise comes crashing in. Tearing him open, rending him in two. Suddenly he's thrown backwards and the sound doesn't seem as horrible anymore. But the feeling in him does. He's suddenly weak, as if his strength had been sapped by the battle with the sound and even more concerning, he feels chilled, as though naked and sickeningly empty inside. He's.... alone. It's a horrifying sensation, worse than being dropped into the void. He looks up to see an inky black blob writhing on the floor, it's back half being slowly sucked towards this vacuum.

  That's venom, Loki instantly recognizes and is reaching out towards him before he can stop himself. He can think of nothing else than reconnecting with the symbiote, refilling this horrible emptiness that is now left in its absence. The inky mass extends towards him, reaching for Loki just a desperately, but it's held back by the powerful suction and the pain from the sound of the infernal machine

  Loki growls and snatches the rope, yanking it from the wall. The vacuum dies Immediately and he turns to close the distance to Venom. The creature reaching up to him as he approaches on his knees and scoops it up, cradling the mass protectively to his chest as he feels it seep back inside. Filling him once again with it's warmth, and it's presence.

  Neither one speaks and for quite awhile, Loki merely sits with his back to the kitchen island with his arms wrapped tightly around himself, as though keeping his symbiote from falling out again.

  It all hit him so unexpectedly real when the symbiote had been ejected. The cold emptiness of it. He'd been so alone his entire life, more so after the truth if his lineage was cruelly revealed. He had no real family, he had no friends. Even his own supposed brother was always merely looking for a way to flaunt how much better he was, just waiting for Loki to trip up so he could smugly hold it over his head. No, Loki had no one. Until now, and he would do anything to never feel that alone again.

  “I got us,” he whispers hugging himself tighter and closing his eyes tight against the emotion that had hit him harder than mjolnir ever could. “I got us.”

  Once he can, Loki takes the vacuum and stuffs it back into the closet, locking it away and vowing never to open it again.

  That night Loki sleeps with more tendrils holding him than ever. He feels them curling around him as he drifts off, yet says nothing. There's nothing to say, this is the way it is now and Loki isn't certain he wants it any other way.

*********

  
  “So, still no word from Scott?” Steve asked only mildly curious. He'd invited Loki over for breakfast after seeing the other man returning home with an armload of chocolate doughnuts. Offering him a more proper meal instead.

  “Oh no, I’m afraid not,” Loki answered easily as he munched his waffle. In the last 30 minutes he'd both learned what a waffle was and what Aunt Jemima was. He'd also learned that the combination of them together was positively delicious.

  **Needs liquid chocolate** the symbiote grumbled.

  Loki somehow suppressed an eyeroll. Venom thought everything went better with chocolate. Though to be honest, he could see how that would work with these.

  “Well, don't be surprised,” Steve was saying, pulling Loki back to the conversation. “He sometimes would disappear for weeks. Say, where did you two meet anyway?”

  “Out west,” Loki replied, again using the truth as it seemed to work best with neighbor Steve. Also left less details to remember later. Which meant he should probably break it to the man that Scott wasn't coming back. Or he could just let Venom eat him and be done with it this lone of questioning already. Though he would miss Steven, as far as humans went, he was quite likable and useful. And there was the not so small detail about being considered a friend. However as it turned out, he really didn't have to. Steven seemed to know more than he'd first let on.

  “Look Loki,” Steve began and suddenly his demeanor seemed more awkward, like he was broaching a difficult subject. “I don't know how well you know Scott, but he wasn't a very nice guy.”

  “Now that I do know,” Loki replied easily. Of course he knew, Scott was a low life.

  **He was delicious** Venom chimed in

  “Oh thank goodness,” Steve sighed in visible relief. “I didn't want to be the one to break it to you in case you two were, uh, involved.”

  “Involved?”

  “Yeah, I mean, wow I'm terrible at this,” Steve said looking flustered and was he blushing?

  “Ohhh” Loki said catching on to his meaning. “You mean intimately. No Steven, Scott and I were not involved. At least not for long.” He smirked at the suggestion.

  **Because I ate him.**

  “Though he did want to be,” Loki mused absently. “However, the last I saw him, he was going on about the delivery he was getting from Mexico. Life changing he called it.”

  **And then I ate him** Venom interjected again. **You keep leaving out the best part of the story.**

  Steve frowned as he looked at Loki a bit keenly. That would be drugs he was picking up, he thought as he growled, twisting the fork he'd been holding in his hands into a knot.

  **Impressive** Venom mused with a bit too much inflection, which made Loki eye his neighbor a bit more warily. Twisting dinnerware into ribbons was certainly not average human behavior. He took a moment to asses Steve, his blond hair, blue eyes, strong physique. Back on Asgard he’d be on par with Thor aside from lacking the oafish demeanor of his former brother. Though he now notes the symbiote's curious interest in the other man and shies away a bit in sudden concern.

  “Well, breakfast was wonderful, but I really should be going,” Loki said standing up quickly, he should have allowed the symbiote to eat him when he first suggested it.

  **Loki, your heart rate is increasing.** Venom observes questioningly. 

  “What?” Steve blinked suddenly coming back from his thoughts and noticing what he'd done. Wow, he'd probably just scared the shit out of this poor guy. “Oh hey, sorry, I just get a bit worked up. Forget my own strength.”

  **Loki, what is wrong?**

  “Oh no, it's fine,” Loki said still edging towards the door. “I'll uh, catch you later.” He said trying out the vernacular for himself as he slips out the door to retreat to his own quarters.

  Steve huffed in frustration, of course the guy split, he just turned his silverware into a pretzel. He had been hoping to talk to him a bit more, make sure he wasn't mixed up in any drugs himself. Steve noticed the odd hours his neighbor kept, it was hard not to hear the door closing at all hours the night when it was right across the hall. If he was, Steve wanted to make sure he could get him help, now however, he'd just terrorized the guy. Way to go Steve.

***************

  **Loki would you tell me what is the matter?** Venom cursed, he could still feel his hosts heart rate increased, but Loki was currently distracting any thoughts by focusing on power cleaning the dishes in his sink.

  “it's Nothing,” Loki replied hoping to keep his worries his own, but that was difficult when you had a symbiote poking around in your brain.

  **Is not Nothing, you are afraid. Is it of Neighbor Steve ?**

   “I’m not afraid of neighbor Steve,” Loki spat scrubbing even harder at the plate despite it already being clean.

  **We have no secrets Loki. Now,tell me why were you afraid, or I will find out for myself.**

  Loki shuddered a bit as it felt like Venom literally licked his brain, and he likely did. However, the symbiote was being nice and not probing right away, giving his host the chance to share on his own terms.

  “For the last time, I was not afraid, alright.” He said setting the sponge down with a huff. “ I was merely concerned that you uh, that you might choose Steven as your new host. Seeing as how he's quite physically superior to most.”

  Venom openly scoffs at the suggestion, **You believe I would leave a you for a mere human whose life span is much, much shorter? Or possesses none of your magic, or your capacity for tricks?**

  Loki huffed a small laugh at that. “You find my tricks more appealing than such physical strengths?”

  **I find you more appealing, Loki** Venom purred and Loki shouldn't feel so bolstered by that.  
He couldn't be getting attached to this creature. That was a fools game. **It's not foolish, you are a perfect match for me Loki.**

  “That’s only because you haven’t met my brother, former brother,” he corrects, letting Venom have a mental image of the Thunder God all perfect hair and tan skinned muscles

 **He looks too self righteous.**  The symbiote observes **He probably would not let me eat humans.**

  “You’re not wrong there.” Loki admits.

  **I still choose you.**

  “Well, you chose wrong. Thor is always the preferred one, even I can appreciate his perfect physique. He’s definitely stronger than I am, more adept at battle, overall more liked by humans in general. I am nothing compared to the _mighty_ Thor. Less than nothing, I I am flawed. Not even wanted by my own kind!”

  **What you see as flaws, we see as perfection** Venom explained as Loki felt a strange sliding across his skin, raising his shirt to see the black tendrils forming on Loki's skin, mirroring where his Jotun lines lie and bringing them to clarity in his skin. **If you were not like this, we would not have been able to bond with you so perfectly. Both biologically and mentally Loki**

  “I am a monster.” Loki huffed roughly pushing his shirt back down to hide the Jotun heritage he hated so much

  **We are a monster.**

  Loki paused, he had no reply to that. He supposed Venom could be seen as a monster himself. ” Yes, well, At least you can go home.” He retorted, though where was home for the symbiote?

 **No, we can't.**  Venom replied in his steady voice, Loki feeling the surprise admission coming from this creature was both heavy and true **We are different, just like you. We are flawed, just like you. They look down on us because we appear like the others, but are not. Our thoughts are not their thoughts, our ideas are not their ideas. Together, here, we are better. This is our home now. Here we can do and think as we like.**

  “Midgard? “ Loki said thinking on it, he seemed to be making it work so far.Venom was raising some very valid points. He could do pretty much as he pleased here, the anonymity that came with this new life was certainly preferable thus far. Not having to live his life in another’s shadow. “ I suppose we can make that work.Though would it be asking too much for a warning before you toss my carcass aside?”

  **There will be no tossing, You are mine and that is final.**  Venom spat with intense verocity. I **will not leave you for this former brother Thor or for Neighbor Steve. You are the one I choose and we are never going anywhere.**

  “I've warned you about that sentimentality.”

  **You are not so unsentimental yourself it would seem.**

  “Yes, and look at where it got me.” Loki stated wryly.

  **Got us Loki.**

  “Got us,” Loki agreed a bit more contentedly. He really shouldn't feel better about this, but couldn't help it. Though now he was going to have to make it up to neighbor Steven. Rushing out look that could be seen as kind of rude.

 

**********


	21. Chapter 21

  Loki discovered many things through this 'teevee'. Some 'moovees' were actually informative, why there was an entire set called he Home Shopping Channel that wonderfully demonstrated modern technological things, showing how to turn them on and operate them in great detail. He had no idea why he’d need a 'macked' book, however, should he come across one, he could at least appear to have some sense of knowing what he was doing.

  Some were not as useful, House Hunters sounded far more exciting than it actually was, as did something called Survivor. The humans never really were in danger of not actually surviving through the entire thing. Quite the let down really.

  Most of these movies were just chaotic, loud, all guns, screaming cars and a ridiculous number of explosions. He did however discover a different type that seemed to only come on really late at night. Something called horror movies He and Venom both found these to be quite entertaining, and the more fantastic the creatures, the better. They all had the same set up, a group of silly humans, all placed somewhere where they were ill equipped both physically and mentally to deal with the danger about to face them. Then insert ‘x’ creature and watch the carnage unfold. The gore was quite laughable as was the one human that always seemed to emerge victorious.

  Sometimes, as in this current 'moovee', there was no real hero. The large furry beast was rampaging along somewhere called London. All the humans were screaming and rushing about in total chaos as they fled. By the nine, that one just lost it’s head and it went rolling straight off.

  **How Wasteful** Venom remarked in disdain.

  “I must agree,” Loki chuckled watching the human’s inflicting as much damage as this werewolf was, merely by panicking as they escaped it. “Look that one got sent clear through the glass by that car!”

  **Yellow one got him**

  Loki and Venom laughing as the scene continued, until the creature was finally brought down under an absurd amount of gunfire. The female character somehow emerging unscathed despite being between the beast and the guards.

  **That made me hungry** The symbiote observed, roiling a bit uncomfortably in Loki's mid section as if trying to emulate a rumbling stomach.

  “Of course it did,” Loki said still smiling as they headed to begin their own hunt for the night.

 

  “Hey, you be careful going out so late,” Steve warned catching Loki in the stairs as the blond was just coming in. “There’s been a lot of strange murders in the city lately.”

   “Strange? How so?” Loki asked though he had an idea.

   “Bodies with their heads cut off, organs removed,” Steve elaborated sneering in distaste at the retelling of it. “I know it sounds so..”

    **Delicious**

   “I’m sorry?” Steve asked making Loki realize he’d inadvertently echoed Venom’s words.

   “Atrocious,” Loki said speaking up clearly.” It sounds atrocious.”

   “Oh, yes,” Steve chuckled thankful that he’d misheard whatever Loki had said. “Well you be careful.”

   “We will,” Loki said as he headed down the stairs, causing Steve to shake his head and smile after the leaner man. His use of ‘we’ , so quirky.

***********

 

  “You know, the problem with all those killers is that they leave behind bodies,” Loki was remarking out loud as he stepped lithely down the street. It seemed they had to hunt farther and farther away from their abode of late, as the low lifes in the area became more scarce. This night taking them all the way to the giant park in their endeavor. “It’s very messy and overall quite inefficient.”

  **My way is better** Venom returned firmly.

  “Well obviously,” Loki said not really caring who overheard at this hour of night. Most people out after dark either pointedly went out of their way to ignore you, or they were stalking you for their own bad intentions. Like the large fellow that had been following them for the past 4 blocks. Even without Venom alerting him, Loki had known he was there. He liked these hunts the most of all. The ones where the human thought they had the upper hand, only to discover they were the prey all along. “Though you do sometimes leave a bit of a mess.”

  Loki turned to cut through the park, the park was an easy place to take over your prey, lots of brush and trees to hide your actions in the dark. Also, very few humans actually traversed through here once the sun went down, making it quite secluded. He purposely slowed a bit, letting the human catch up even closer as he felt the excited buzz from the symbiote within.

  “That’s far enough,” A gruff voice spoke, suddenly jabbing a blunt object into Loki’s back.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Loki remarked, turning to face his prey. He hadn’t expected the man to be so fast with his weapon. He’d also never actually encountered a gun shot yet. The loud pop filling his ears at seemingly the same moment the bullet hit him. The sharp ,searing bite of it easily piercing these pathetic human clothes causing him to double over as the metal disappeared into his flesh.  
Loki grunted as his hands went reactively to cover the wound,suddenly feeling Venom surge forth with more force than he could ever remember. The symbiote grabbing the terrified man as he turned to try to flee from the it, lifting him off the ground by his head. The human tried his weapon again, firing it over and over, but it only further incensed the creature. His other clawed hand snatching the human’s leg. Loki had just a second to realize what was coming,his screams piercing the night air only for a second before being rent in two.Venom quickly downed both halves, swallowing them whole, then sank back into his host’s body.

  Loki blinked in surprise at the vision of what had just transpired, then remembered his own wound that would need taking care of. This would take using magic, something he wasn't looking forward to as it may draw unwanted attention from his estranged family. Except it didn’t. There was a hole in his clothing where the projectile had entered, obvious staining from the blood he'd shed, but no wound. The pain and damage was completely healed.

  “Now that is a handy trick,” Loki remarked approvingly as he inspected his side,. He spotted the weapon on the ground and gave it a rueful kick. They’d remember this next time, guns are fast, faster than a blink of an eye. Next time, they wouldn’t blink.

  **We won’t let that happen again!** Venom spoke,his voice still seething with anger. Loki felt the indignity of it, as though how dare a human attempt to harm them. The feeling was actually quite encouraging and empowering all the same, knowing somebody had his back. The odd thing was, he believed it.

  **We got us** Venom added,sensing Loki’s thoughts and echoing them back

  “Indeed we do,” Loki said as he turned and strolled out of the park, off to find a few more low lifes to treat his symbiote for such a job well done. Then he needed to procure a new shirt, good thing something called Wal-Marts was opened at all hours, though not his preferred style, their human garbs would do in a pinch.  
  
 ****************

  Loki had just returned home, having been out all night letting Venom feed on low life after low life. He was really surprised when he heard a knock at his door.

  “Steven?” Loki asked eyeing the other man questionably. “Isn't it a bit late?”

  “Or early, depending on how you look at it,” Steve was explaining as he awkwardly held a large round pastry before him. "New shirt?"  
  
  "Uh yes," Loki remarked with a bit of a frown. "The other one got a hole on it."   Loki knew a cake when he saw one and could smell the chocolate on it from here. But cakes were usually for special occasions and he used this knowledge to turn the subject back around to this impromptu visit. “Have I missed something?” Loki inquired, perhaps this was some Midgardian holiday. He'd need to keep track of those. “Is it a holiday or something?”

  **Who cares, let him in. He has chocolate.** Venom quickly piped up.

  “Uh no,” Steve explained as Loki stepped back letting the other man in to set down the cake on the bar top. “I was hoping it was a peace offering.”

  “Oh…. I'm afraid that I am still not following,” Loki admitted already getting plates out to dig into this cake. Though if he was doing it, or his symbiote was, he really didn't know. “Are we at odds?”

  “No, it was just the other day. At breakfast.”

  Oh yes, now Loki remembered. “Ah yes, about that, I apologize-”

  “No, please don't,” Steve quickly cut him off. “I sometimes forget my own strength and it's completely normal to have that reaction. I really should have warned you that sometimes happens. But I would never hurt you Loki.”

**Of course he wouldn't, I wouldn't let him hurt us.**

  “Of course you wouldn't,” Loki said smirking at the knowledge that his symbiote would gladly end Neighbor Steve’s life any time Loki said to. Low life or not, he was rather inquisitive, which could yet be problem. Though, on the flip side, he was proving quite useful,perhaps in more ways than one, he thought placing a gentle hand on Steve's arm.

  **Don't touch him!** Venom practically snarled.

  Loki quickly pulled his hand away and instead picked up the knife. “So, I accept your peace offering. Uh how big of a slice would you like?”

  “Oh I couldn't,” Steve said bashfully. He couldn't believe how easy this was going. Thank goodness. “I made that for you.”

  “All for me? Well, we are going to eat every last crumb. It looks positively delicious!”

  We. Steve thought absently, There was that strange we thing that Loki did. Maybe he got mixed up with the English translation somehow. Still, Steve did have another subject he needed to broach and hoped the cake would make it easier.

  “Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about something else while I was here,” Steve began, watching his friend cut a rather sizable slice of cake for himself.

  “Oh?” Loki asked as he somehow convinced Venom that now was not the appropriate time to devour the cake all in one bite as it would not be normal for a human to do. Nor an Asagardian for that matter. Negotiating a larger than average piece to start with so that they wouldn't make neighbor Steven suspicious. “What is on your mind?” He asked taking a bite. “By the Nine this is delicious! Steven did you make this?”

  “I did,” Steve said smiling at his friend's reaction. What an odd saying, 'by the Nine'. He wondered where that was from? But the look of pure joy on Loki's face derailed anything else he could possibly say. “You know what, it's late,you enjoy the cake. “

  “Alright, we shall,” Loki replied taking another bite and savoring it on his tongue a bit before swallowing. “Thank you again Steven.”

  He took another slow bite, feeling Venom thrumming in anticipation as they watched neighbor Steven leave. The symbiote emerging as soon as the door closed to devour the cake immediately, although leaving the slice on the plate untouched as he sank contentedly back in his host.

  “Wow, you left us a slice,” Loki mused taking a leisure bite of his piece. “I'm impressed.”

  **Delayed gratification**

  “I'm not sure if that counts after you've already eaten most of it.” Loki chuckled. “But you know what, we'll make this work.”  
  
 ***********


	22. Chapter 22

   “Loki, I wanted to ask you a question,” Steve began as he sat at the kitchen island. Loki had invited him over for dinner, wanting to return the favor of being a good neighbor, he'd said. Which kind of made talking about this more difficult, but he desperately needed to be out with it as it was eating him up inside.

    “Well, ask away,” Loki said opening the package of spaghetti noodles and carefully taking out what the man on the cooking show had stated would be enough and setting them gently into the pot of water. This wasn't so hard, he had this cooking thing down quite well. Yes, just another normal human, doing the human cooking and being a good neighbor.

    “Well it's about you and Scott,” Steve began carefully.

   “Oh, I'm sorry, there's still no word from him.” Loki replied flippantly all while thinking, ugh, why was Steven constantly concerned about such a miscreant? It was beginning to get to be a tiresome loose end that was getting more and more difficult to make disappear.  
  
**We can make them all disappear Loki, just say when** Venom assured him bringing a small smile to his lips.

   “No, it's not that,” Steve sighed and Loki turned to eye him curiously. Just what was neighbor Steven waffling about?

    **Mmmm waffles** The symbiote remarked as it latched onto its host's thoughts, as it always did. Seemingly more and more fluently of late, though it was onto something.

   'Hmmm yes, that would be good,' Loki thought smiling brighter at the thought. He'd yet to figure out how to procure more of those. So tonight it was noodles of..

   “Fire,” Steven suddenly announced, causing Loki to scowl.

   No it wasn't noodles of fire. Loki frowned in thought, That was ridiculous.

    “Loki, your spaghetti is on fire,” Steve reiterated more urgently and Loki turned to see that yes, in fact the noodles sticking out over the edge of the pot were in fact on fire. 

    However, the 'Eep!’ that came from his lips, definitely wasn't his, at least he hoped not, and he felt his symbiote uncomfortably roiling deep inside.

    **Fire is lethal**

   "Obviously," Loki cursed, Of course it was, he wasn't overly fond of it himself. Though now knowing his true heritage, had a reason as to why. However, the symbiote hadn’t protested their previous endeavor of attempting to light the oven. Guess it was just surprise fires it had a problem with.

  Loki reacted quickly, grabbing the boom and swinging the handle around to catch the side of the pot, sending it flying towards the sink just a couple of feet away.As though following it's trajectory, he fluidly stepped to the side, the wooden handle sweeping under the soaring pot as he stepped, bringing it up, just in time to stop the cauldron’s momentum. Impacting it with a solid clang as he twisted his wrist, flipping the entire canister end over end into the sink where the fire was thoroughly doused with it’s own water.   
  
  “Wow, dinner and a show,” Steve cheered clapping as Loki stood there looking at the upended pot now in his sink in dismay. “Loki, those are some moves,buddy.”   
  
**Probably not very human** Venom remarked a bit warningly.

  Venom was right, he’d need to be more careful in the future. Most humans did not have such prowess of weapons anymore. At least Steven seemed more amused than suspicious. Hopefully he’d just chalk it up as another one of his foreign quirks. 

  “How?” Loki lamented still scowling at the burnt noodles in his sink. “They were literally in a pot of water, how did they catch on fire?”

    “Heat from the stove I reckon,” Steve offered moving to stand beside his friend in support.

   “Oh and here I thought I was doing so good,” Loki sighed, and he thought he was. He was blending in with the humans, doing the shopping thing,speaking their coffee lingo, but he couldn't even cook a basic meal that wasn't tater tots or hashed browns.

    “Ah c'mon, don't beat yourself up over it,” Steve assured him, placing an arm over his shoulder and leading him to the couch. “Lots of people can't cook.”

    **We don't need to cook. We can just eat low lifes and tater tots.** The symbiote assured him.

    “Now you're just being nice to try to make me feel better,” Loki said to both. Though having both trying to cheer him up was actually working quite well. Did he really have to learn how to cook anyway?

    **No**

    “No I'm not,” Steve said chuckling. “Why my friend Tony, I'll bet he can't cook either. I've certainly never seen him in the kitchen. You know, come to think of it, I'm not even certain he has a kitchen.”

   “Then how does he procure his food?’ Loki chuckled at the idea.

   “He eats out, a lot,” Steve admitted though by his tone, Loki gleaned that that was not normal. “Or has it delivered.”

   “Oh, like the Peetzah,” Loki supplied easily. “I suppose we shall have to procure one of those for dinner.”

    “That sounds just fine,” Steve said already pulling out his rectangle communications device, and figuring Loki may not know how to order pizza, decided to take over and let his friend decompress from their little excitement. Getting up to give the other man a bit of space as he placed the order and dutifully turned off the stove.

    “There, it should be here in 30 minutes,” Steve said sitting back next to him. “Now, before we can get distracted again.”

    “Ah yes, your question,” Loki said remembering that Steve had been acting odd about the subject and depending on where this went, also would govern whether they were eating this peetzah or Steven tonight. Though Loki secretly hoped it would just be the peetzah. He had been growing rather fond of Steven, if only he wasn’t so damned nosey.

    “Well, the thing is,” Steve began and firmly decided to just be out with it already. “Scott was really into drugs.”

   “Ah yes, his delivery from Mexico,” Loki confirmed easily wondering what all this was about.

   “You knew about the drugs?” Steve clarified, but his mood darkened a bit. Already looking a bit troubled at the thought. If Loki knew, then he was likely into it as well. Good grief he had really been hoping he wasn't.

   “Of course I did,” Loki replied with a shrug. “I was with him when he picked them up.”

    “Oh Loki,” Steve sighed trying to figure out how to proceed without scaring his friend again.

    **Loki, neighbor Steven does not look happy. Perhaps we should lie**

   “No, I'm not lying,” Loki stated, and Steve was a bit curious as to why he would ever disbelieve him. “There were lots of these little bread loaf sized bags of strange white powder. I am assuming those are the drugs in which you are referring to?”

    Steve paused, eyeing Loki closely. Loki didn't know. He didn't even know that the loaves he'd described were cocaine. Oh bless his naive foreign heart.

    “Yes Loki, those were the drugs,” he said placing his hands on his friend's shoulders as he held his gaze. “Now Loki, you can tell me, I won't be upset, I promise. “

    **He would be, don't tell him**

   “Tell you what Steven?” Loki asked glancing at the hand holding his shoulder and feeling a little unsettled. Was he really going to ask what happened to Scott? Damn,Steven had assured him that he wouldn't hurt him, but now he had doubts if he had to hit him with a truth like that.

    **Don't, his heart rate has increased. But he is not angry.**  Venom observed calmly. **Besides, I will not let him hurt us.**

   “Loki, are you mixed up in these drugs?” Steve said holding his breath as he finally got it out and awaited the answer.

   “Mixed up in?” Loki scowled at the thought. Completely derailed by the question and honestly quite a little offended.Only low lifes dealt with drugs. Did Steven think he was a low life? He quickly pulled away from his grasp.

   “Loki,” Steve urged as his friend pulled away from him. “Look, if you are, I can get you help. Just tell me.”

   “Now I may not be exactly certain as to what you're insinuating Steven,” Loki frowned in distaste. “But I am not mixed up in nor dealing with any of these… these drugs as you call them. I would hardly even recognize them other than what Scott had, and I left those when I left his car.”

   Steve had never been so relieved in his life. “So, you wouldn't mind if I took a look around his apartment then?”

    “Look all you'd like Steven,” Loki said tersely. Surely he didn't view him in the same league as Scott. He'd said numerous times that Scott was not a nice guy, and you certainly didn't accept dinner invites from neighbors that weren't nice guys. He quickly got up to head to the kitchen. He needed something to take his edge off and help remind him that Steven was really just attempting to be a good neighbor and likely not suggesting what his mind had thought.  Let him search the deceased Scott's apartment for whatever he was looking for, and be done with this entire affair.

    **Chocolate**

   “Good idea,” Loki surmised pulling out a Hershey's bar and biting into it. “In fact, if you do find any of these drugs, you are welcome to dispose of them however you see fit. Norns only knows what that low life has tucked away in here.”

   Steve couldn't help but smile, whatever Loki's relationship was with his former neighbor, it wasn't a good one. Which left him questioning why he entrusted Loki to watch his apartment while he was gone? Maybe it was because the guy seemed trustworthy. If he wasn't using drugs himself, then he wouldn't steal any from Scott. That totally made sense.

   Still, Loki did give Steve a free pass to look around, and he certainly wasn't going to turn that down. Snooping every nook, corner, and closet and gathering what drug paraphernalia he did find into a trash can. It all looked like it had gone unused for quite awhile, which helped relieve any other tension Steve may have felt. Seems Loki was definitely telling the truth.

 

  “Now,” Loki mused looking into the trash can curiously as they ate their pizza. Loki noting absently that only half the peetza had meat on it, leaving half with only cheese and olives for him to eat freely. Interesting. “Are you going to fill me in on what bits of treasure you found?”

  “No, the less you know the better,” Steve said tying the plastic bag shut. “This stuff is all illegal and if the cops ever came here- “

    **I'd eat them**

  “-they'd take you to jail just for having this “

    “Well, then thank you Steven,” Loki said honestly. He didn't like the idea of another cell and shuddered a bit at the memory of his last one. Seems Steven had been only looking out for his well being after all.

   “No, thank you,” Rogers returned finishing his slice and dusting the crumbs off his hands. “For being so honest. I’m sorry for ever believing you’d be mixed up in the same things Scott was. How did you ever get wrapped up with a guy like him anyway?”

  “He picked me up from a bar,” Loki replied with a shrug. “Told me about the wonders of New York and I just knew I had to see it for myself.”

    **And then we ate him**

   “So he just offered to let you watch his place for him?” Steve asked curiously.

   “More or less,” Loki replied licking his fingers a bit suggestively. “I can be very persuasive.”

    **No tricks with neighbor Steve** Venom warned, his coils tightening around Loki's middle.

  “Well, that's probably more than I should know,” Steve chuckled as he got to his feet, his face turning the most alluring shade of indigo. “Thank you for dinner. I'm going to go dispose of these now.”

  “Oh no, thank you Steven,” Loki said bidding him goodnight and watching him leave. Turning to eye the apartment with a sigh. Being human, surviving here on Midgard, it was all full of ups and downs. Tonight seemed just full of downs. It was a bit tiresome to be honest.  
  
  
  
********

  
    Loki stood on the ledge, looking at the dark empty street below him as he’d done many times. His mind absently trying to figure out the distance, if it would truly be high enough to do the trick this time.. Would anyone even notice if he did? He felt the pull of the void sighed. He was now a bit conflicted, he was beginning to build a life here on Midgard, this new symbiosis with this creature, and Steven. Was this really what he even wanted anymore?

  
  **Go ahead,Loki. Jump.** ****  


  Yes, of course, Venom would notice. The symbiote had goaded him like this before, urging him on, always with assurances that he would keep them both safe somehow. Even now he could feel the symbiote watching him eagerly, waiting to see what he would do.Maybe he’d surprise it this time….maybe. Loki took a deep breath and stepped off. 

  He felt his stomach lurch, had felt it before, the instant you begin free fall. Always right at that point of no return, too far gone to take it back. Windows of the building rushed past behind him, the glass reflecting it’s fellow buildings like mirrors as he fell, the colors blurring as the air whipped tears from his eyes.. The wind filled his ears, drowning out the sound of everything.

  Everything except for his own breaths and quickening heartbeat.

   He had expected to be calm, this was what he’d  wanted, wasn’t it? If Venom didn’t save him, then it would finally all be over. But as the end loomed closer he felt something far different then calm, he felt doubt.

  Suddenly his was jerked to a halt still several dozen feet above the ground as Venom’s tendrils shot out from his back and latched onto the side of the building like some dark spider web.More coils wrapped around his core to steady him,holding him tight and he grasped at them desperately. His hands clinging to the dark form that held him and feeling a great rush of emotion wash over him.   


**I got us** Venom assured him   


    He felt how proud the symbiote was, and something else he couldn’t quite unravel from their mixing emotions. Loki knew what he felt though, he felt grateful. Grateful to have someone he could trust in, to rely on no matter what. He gripped the coils a little tighter and felt them wrapping a bit firmer around him as he did.   


**I got us** Venom repeated in a more gentle tone, slowly lowering his host the rest of the way to the ground. Loki swiped at his eyes and swallowed as he collected himself,wanting to blame the tears on the wind from the fall, nothing more, but the symbiote would know regardless that his walls had crumbled a bit.   


    “Yeah, you got us,” Loki echoed as he gave the retreating coils one last pat.  


**Loki, is that sentiment?** Venom teased lightly.   


    “By the Nine, I hope not,” Loki chuckled smiling as he walked down the road. He felt lighter, as though he’d tossed off a great weight that he’d been carrying. Turns out he’d changed his mind on dying after all. Being here on Midgard was tough, but he certainly wasn't alone in his struggles. It was funny how somebody unwaiveringly having your back helped change your perspective. “What do you want to do now?”  


    “ **Bath time** Venom replied eagerly.   


    “As you wish my friend,” Loki said and felt the symbiote practically purr with pleasure at the honesty of being called a friend.


	23. Chapter 23

 

   Dinner and a movie at Steven’s. This was becoming Loki’s regular Saturday night. Though it often lead to interesting conversations afterwards, most of the movies being dramatic or action filled. This one was turning out completely different. Which was leading to a completely different sort of conversation.

   **That there, what are they doing ?**

    ‘That is called spooning’ Loki thinks in reply absently as he lifts his water to his lips. He’d been practicing communicating with the symbiote by thought only lately, and was mostly successful at it. Though it was more difficult than one would think not to just speak the reply out loud.

    **Spooning, we do that, late at night when you're asleep, we spoon**

    Loki choked on his drink, rushing to set it down before he drops it.

    **Liquid does not go down that hole, quit trying to drown yourself!**  Venom cursed impatiently

 

   “Oh Loki are you okay?” Steve asks taking the drink from him and setting it on the table. “Wrong pipe?” He asks a bit jokingly as his friends catches his breath.

    “Obviously” Loki manages in a strained voice. As he recomposed himself. This symbiote really needed a speech filter.

 

    **They are tasting each other's mouths, disgusting**

   ‘That is called kissing,’ Loki sighed thinking the reply as he pinched the bridge of his nose.’ And it's not disgusting, it can be quite pleasant,’ he thought conjuring up images of kissing some past partners and the feelings that went with it, heady, exciting, lust filled.  He could practically feel the symbiote lick his brain at the last one and shivered involuntarily.

   “Are you okay?” Steve asked watching his friend in some concern.” If you're cold I can grab you a blanket?”

    **mmmm not so disgusting after all** Venom hummed in far too deep of a bravato for Loki's liking. **We should try kissing** **.**

    “No, “Loki said possibly a bit too quickly as he got to his feet, realizing he'd said it out loud as well. This movie was a terrible idea  “Steven, I must apologize, I am suddenly not feeling so well. I believe I'd best go lie down.”

    “Of course,” Steve says sympathetically as he walks Loki to the door. “Can I get you anything? Medicine perhaps?”

    **Loki why are we leaving? I wanted to see the end of that!**

    “No no, I'll be fine,” Loki says. “I just have a bit of a head ache it would appear.”

  “Oh well, go get some rest,” Steve says as if he understands.” I'll see you later.”

  “Sure Steven.”   
 

  Loki sighs as he reaches the relative safety of his own apartment, and leans back against the closed door, gazing up at the ceiling “To what do I owe this continual plague?”

    **There is no plague** Venom responded shortly. **If you had plague we would cure it.**

   “I wasn't talking to you,” Loki groaned pinching the bridge of his nose as he made his way towards the bedroom. It was late and though he wasn’t _that_ tired, he was hoping some good sleep would be a respite from the constant conversation in his head.

    **But there is no one else here**

   “I was addressing the gods, the Fates if you will.Whomever thought it would be a such a grand idea to put you inside of me? “

    **That would be me, it was my idea to put me inside you.**

    “Shocker,” Loki replied sarcastically shedding his clothes and climbing into bed.

    **Loki, roll over so we can spoon**

   “Not a chance.”

    **Then I will just hold you like this** Venom announces his tendrils wrapping around the man as a half body forms beside him.

   “Why do you do this?” Loki asked honestly curious.

    **It keeps the bad dreams away, the ones that make you afraid**

    “Oh,” Loki replies softly, snuggling a bit closer.The warmth was nice. “ I don't hate it.”

    **I know**

    “I don't hate you,” Loki thought as he drifted off to sleep

    **I know** venom purred, hugging the man closer.

 

 *********  


   Loki used to like the rain, he remember it vividly. He didn't like always going outside to hunt,or spar, or whatever brute like activity they were required to do as young princes. Sometimes Thor took pity on him, even at a young age he could wield his powers, and he'd make it rain. So then Loki would sit curled up in a window, much as he was now, wrapped in a blanket, check got that as well, sipping tea and most decidedly not doing any brutish activities for the day. Maybe he should make some tea, he thought turning to eye the stove with a bit of trepidation.

 

    **Aww you miss him** The symbiote stated almost teasingly.

    “Thor?” Loki clarified knowing exactly who venom was talking about. “Hardly. I miss the innocence of not knowing what I was.”

    **I like what you are**

   Loki didn't bother replying, but knew the other could feel the distaste such a statement brought from him.

 

    **Maybe we should hunt** Venom offered hopefully.

    “Not today,” Loki said turning back to the rain. “There's plenty of food here.”

   He could feel the symbiotes frustration with him, but felt too lethargic to care.

   

 **Would you stop being sad already!**  The Symbiote snarled in frustration, **Your** **lump is big enough without you adding to it.**

    “It's not like I can just turn it off whenever I want.”

    **We should take a bath and masturbate**

   Loki frowned deeply at that , “You are getting far too personal. I'm going to cut you off.”

    **No you won't, you like it when we touch Loki** Venom purred, his tendrils sneaking out to slide across either side of Loki's stomach before heading straight down towards his pants.

    “Hey, would you stop it!” Loki cursed batting the tendrils away impatiently.

 

  He got to his feet and stormed to the kitchen, retrieving a Hershey bar from the refrigerator. “Here, happy?” He asked unwrapping it and eating it down as quickly as possible.

  Venom hummed pleasantly at the treat and Loki went to the couch, flopping face down upon it's cushions.

  **The chocolate did not make us happy Loki** The symbiote observed.

   “Yes, big surprise,I told you eating won’t fix all your problems,”Loki replied a bit sarcastically. Maybe he'd just go back to sleep

    **You don't need more sleep, you need…** venom paused as they both heard the sound of keys rattling in the door across the hall. **Neighbor Steve!**

     No!

    **Neighbor Steve will help fix this sad.**

   “Just knock it off!” Loki said grabbing a throw pillow and burying his face in it.

 

   He certainly didn't expect Venom to pop his head out of his back and call out **Neighbor Steve!**

   Loki groaned at the symbiote's boldness, hearing the keys pause before there was a knock at his own door.” Loki? Is everything okay?”

    **No**

   “Go away!”Loki scowled and took the pillow, swatting it behind him to try to hit the creature's head. Venom dodged it easily, chuckling at his hosts feeble attempt.

 

   Loki heard his own doorknob turning and groaned, great, wonderful, let's invite everyone in.

    **Not everyone** venom replied to his thoughts as he melted back into Loki's body. **Just neighbor Steve.** ****  
****  
'Getting a bit attached to neighbor Steven are we?' Loki thought coldly.  
  
     **No, but you are**  Venoms reply only made Loki scowl deeper, wanting to argue with the ridiculousness of that statement, however now was not the time as the man in question was standing right in his doorway.

 

 “Hey, Loki, is everything okay?” Steve asked peering in the door and spotting the man in question lying face down on the couch, half covered in a throw blanket, a pillow lying on the floor beside him.

 

 “Everything's just peachy Steven,” Loki said not bothering to budge. Was it too late to play dead?

    **Corpses don't talk, so yes, it's too late for that trick.**

    It didn't matter anyway because Steven was already approaching and now kneeling by the couch. “Hey buddy, you look like you're having a bad day.”

 

    “We've had worse,” Loki replied not really thinking. It was true, there really was nothing in particular about this day that warranted it being bad, except for the rain.

 

 **You're depressed** Venom spouted, yet another brilliant observation by the obtrusive symbiote.

    “I'm not depressed just… Get outta my head,” Loki winced as he realized Steven was looking at him with raised eyebrows. Oh, he'd said that aloud, didn't he? “Apologies Steven we...I sometimes talk to myself. Most days I can suppress it but today,” he shrugs unsure what else to say. This is already awkward enough

 

  “It's cool man.” Steve assured him easily. His neighbor Loki was quirky, no big deal.

 

  “It most definitely is not _cool_.”

 

  “Well, I mean it is weird, but I've seen weirder.” Steve said with a chuckle, and boy had he ever. If talking to himself and saying ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ was the weirdest things Loki did, then he was by far the most normal of his friends so far.  


**Did he just call us weird?**

 

 “Oh I doubt that,” Loki answered though to whom he was answering her wasn't really certain

 

  “Come on man,” Steve urged, grabbing him by the arm and hauling the other man to his feet. Boy for someone so skinny, you wouldn’t think he’d weigh so much. “ some if my vegetable soup will fix you right up.”

 

**Soup will not fix you, I can fix you, if only you'd stop being sad.**

 

    “If only it were that easy,” Loki said meaning it for venom but inadvertently answering both again.

 

    “You haven't tried my soup,” Steve answered with a far too big grin to even consider saying no.

 

 

   Loki hummed in approval as he ate the soup. This could quite possibly be the best bowl of vegetable soup that he's ever had. And being the interplanetary traveler that he is, that's saying something.

    “Steven this is really, really good.” He crowed honestly.

 

 **It's disgusting** Venom grumbled.

    “It's not disgusting!”

 

   “Thanks, I aim for not disgusting,” Steve chuckled smiling as he watched the other man eat as if he’d never tasted good soup before.

  
  Loki sighed and just ladeled more soup into his mouth.

 

 **Loki your lump of sad has gotten smaller.**  The symbiote observed. **This disgusting soup is helping.**

 

   Loki tried to ignore him as best as he could, so focused on it that he was surprised when his spoon clanked upon the empty bowl.

 

    “Wow, you must not have eaten today,” Steve remarked in some surprise.  


**We haven't** Loki and venom said at once

 

  “You want more?” Rogers offered easily. “ there's plenty.”  


**Yes, eat more of this disgusting soup** Venom urged eagerly

 

  “Yes please,” Loki said handing over his bowl

 

 **See eating is the answer to everything.  
  
  **Loki did his best to suppress an eye roll as he dug into his second helping of soup.

 

********

   “Hey you should be careful leaving your door unlocked like that,” Steve warned in honest concern as he watched Loki retreat back to his own apartment. It was late, after soup they had sat and chatted about New York a bit, discovering Loki’s favorite spots so far and Steve sharing some of his. Loki assuring him he’d check out this museum sometime.. “You never know who might come wondering in.”

 

**Snacks**

   
    “I'm sorry?” Steve asked, not quite catching what the other man had said.

 

   “Thanks,” Loki quickly corrected,” I shall keep that in mind, and for the vegetable soup as well.”

 

   “Anytime,” Rogers said with a wave.

 

    Loki smiled as he went back into their apartment. The soup had definitely helped, so had the company. Maybe Loki was just lonely.

 

 **That is ridiculous, you are not alone,**  Venom informed indignantly **I am here**

 

    “And you are such pleasant company too,” Loki replied facetiously .

 

 **I'd be more pleasant if you weren't so stubborn!** ****  
**  
**

  "I believe the word you’re looking for is pedantic.” Loki pushed at his symbiote smoothly.

  
      **No, the word I’m looking for is..** ****  
**  
**

“Chocolate?” Loki offered, lifting the candy bar from the fridge and derailing their current bantering before it got too far.

  
   Venom’s head emerged eagerly as Loki unwrapped the treat, letting the symbiote gobble it down on it’s own and giving it’s head a friendly rub.   
  
  “For allowing me to eat those disgusting vegetables.”Loki added thanking the symbiote, feeling it hum in pleasure at the attention. Perhaps if he could get the creature to associate good things with vegetables, then maybe he’d allow Loki to eat them more often. A sort of middle ground that could be mutually benefiting. It was worth a shot anyway.  
  
   **Maybe if the vegetables were covered in chocolate.** Venom offered **.**  
  
  Or maybe not.  
  
  
 .

  
  



	24. Chapter 24

   

  Loki stepped up to the crosswalk, eyeing the sign and waiting for it to signal that it was safe to proceed. He almost didn’t notice the human stepping up to wait next to him, what was one more human in a sea of dozens?  


**It’s the deliverer of mochas** Venom suddenly piped up, causing Loki to turn to regard the man next to him, a bright smile painting his lips as he recognized the human.   


    “Ah, Ian, hello,” Loki greeted warmly, now recognizing his favorite barista from the coffee shop..  


    “Oh wow, you actually remembered my name,” Ian said, positively beaming at the other man.   


    “Oh I never forget a pretty face,” Loki returned smoothly.  


**Are you flirting with this human?**  Venom asked a bit curious.   


    “Perhaps,” Loki replied then noting he’d of course replied out loud, quickly added. “Or perhaps it’s the delectable drink that aids my memory.”  


    Ian ducked his head positively blushing. Loki smiled, the young man wasn’t unattractive, really, and it had been so long since he’d scratched his own itches this way. Self gratification was one thing, but there was something just so gratifying about having a partner scratch your itches for you. Surely the symbiote would see once it got it's fill of endorphins from this little endeavor.  


    “I’d like to think it was my face that made it memorable,” Ian returned, raising his gaze to meet Loki’s.  


**Oh good, if you’re flirting then we get to eat him** ****  


   “No,” Loki replied tilting his head thoughtfully, no they wouldn’t be eating this one. “I think it was just you.”  


    Venom grumbled in discontent, though was still curious as to what Loki’s game was. Whenever they played this game before, there was always food involved. Why was this time different? Maybe if they ate Ian then they wouldn’t be able to get any more of those chocolate drinks. That had to be it.   


    The signal changed, but neither man moved to join the throng now crossing, instead staying rooted in place, gazes locked as they chatted.   


    “Out for a bit of shopping?” Loki inquired lightly, his eyes, never leaving the other man’s.  


    “Uh, no,” Ian admitted with a shrug. “I was just off to watch a movie.”  


   “Isn’t that usually done with company?” Loki asked, every time Steven had wanted to watch a movie, he always invited Loki over.  


   “Sometimes,” Ian admitted still grinning broadly. “Would you like to join me?”  


   “I’d be delighted.”  


    Ian was thrilled, that was plain to see. The young man still watching Loki as he stepped into the street. Only the signal had changed by now, the red hand clearly showing on the opposite side. Loki grabbed the young man by the shoulder and pulled him quickly back onto the curb as a taxi went speeding past.   


    “Yellow one’s don’t stop,” He explained as Ian caught his breath at avoiding nearly being run over.   


    “No, they sure don’t,” He replied, his facade only shaken for a moment. “Thanks man.”  


    “Well, wouldn’t  want to put a damper on our movie.”  


    “Yeah,” Ian chuckled easily at Loki’s jest, and as the signal changed again, they stepped off together.  
  
     

  Loki had never been inside a cinema and his immediate thought was that this was the largest television he’d ever seen. They sat all the way in the back, which gave it some perspective, but he couldn’t help watching in awe as the movie screen lit up before him. Ian had chosen some action flick, Loki’s least favorites, but fortunately, it didn’t appear as though their focus was to be on the movie. Though he had at least hoped the symbiote would be distracted by it.   


**Loki, this is boring.**  Venom grumbled, worse than a petulant child. **Let’s** **go hunting now**   


   Loki pointedly ignored it as hands grazed, then slid exploratory across a thigh, breaths quickened and pulses raced as another arm slid behind a back, guiding the two bodies closer. Then suddenly there were lips meeting in shared passion, their tongues immediately seeking out the other’s mouth as they kissed deeply.  


**No! Mine!**  Venom snarled.  


    Loki suddenly found himself thrown backwards into the floor between the seat rows. Growling in frustration as he picked himself up.   


    “Holy cow man, are you alright?” Ian asked in concern.   


**We are going, NOW!**  The symbiote twisted it's coils tightly around Loki's middle, as though intending to squeeze the very breath from him. Loki had been getting along so well with the symbiote of late that he'd nearly forgotten it's ability to toss him around.   


   “Fine,” Loki said dusting himself off, knowing there would be no winning this debate. Atleast not in public anyway. Seems Venom was definitely not on board with this endeavor. Perhaps another time. “I am fine. However, I apologize, I've made a mistake.”  


   “Really?” Ian asked quite confused by what was happening. “Was it the kiss? Shit, I knew I was a terrible kisser.”  


   “It was actually quite good,” He said as he turned back towards the stairs, knowing it would bolster the young man’s spirits while also pushing Venom’s buttons. Feeling the symbiote squirm within exuding another odd emotion. What was that? Was that...jealousy? Oh he should not find that as enticingly exciting as he did. Loki felt another tug and knew he’d better get his feet moving, turning to head to the exit. “Maybe we’ll do this again sometime.” He called back.   


**We won’t!** Venom stated firmly as Loki felt those possessive coils already looping about him tighten further, pushing a huff of air from his lungs and causing him to hunch over a bit as he rushed out. Oh, this might just turn out to be a rewarding night after all. There was in fact more than one way to scratch an itch and this current one had him curious enough to pursue it to its eventual end. Surprisingly, the symbiote didn’t say another word the entire way home, which meant he was stewing and would be ready to explode as soon as they entered. The anticipation had him nearly thrumming as he went home.   


**Kiss!** Venom raged as Loki stepped into his own apartment. **You liked the kiss!**

   “Oh yes, it was most enjoyable,” Loki continued pushing with as smirk as he swiftly made his way to the bedroom. This was about to get noisy.

  No sooner had he stepped inside and closed the door, then he was thrown roughly back against it. Venoms head slithering out alongside him as he materialized.

    **That was child's play. I'll show you a kiss**

   Loki was not prepared for the foot long tongue suddenly invading his mouth, but commended himself on not gagging as it tickled the back of his throat, exploring his mouth as his lips works against Venom's surprisingly smooth mouth. He’d expected to come in contact with those glaring teeth, and while they weren’t lips per sei, it was most preferable. Had he formed that just for Loki's benefit?

   He felt tendrils already sliding along his skin, removing his clothes, shoes, pants, underwear, but the shirt was just ripped from him as venom kept his mouth busy with other things. Oh how Loki was glad he didn't need to breath as often as humans as that great slick of tongue probed his throat. Tickling his tonsils as Loki's own tongue lathed against it. His cock was already growing quite hard and as a tentacle circled one of his nipples, it bumped eagerly against his stomach, reminding him of his own growing need.

   Finally the tongue retreated, leaving Loki panting as Venom pulled back, his head dropping lower with a far too toothy grin. He should not be getting excited about those teeth nearing his nether regions, but couldn't help it. Nor could he do anything about it as his hands were pinned to the sides by Venom’s invisible will, and as he looked he noticed his feet were several inches off the floor as well, making it even more difficult for him to fight back against the creature, if he’d even wanted to. Very clever, this one.

   He watched as the creature ducked low, extending that long agile tongue of his and painting a stripe of saliva right up the inside of one thigh, running it clear to the base of his testes before pulling it away. The sable head turning and awarding his soft inner thigh a sharp nip. Loki closed his eyes and grunted at it, but didn't flinch.

   Venom repeated his actions on the other thigh, the hot tongue laying a trail that he felt in his groin, the nip causing his eager cock to jump in excitement.

  “ Are you intending to play all night or do you actually think you know what your are doing? “Loki teased, knowing he was egging the symbiote on and wanting to do just that. “Surely you've seen from my brain how this is supposed to work.”

   He knew what was happening here. Venom was laying claim to him, was going to ruin him, make him ache for no others, and norns help him, he was looking forward to it. Though he couldn't stifle the surprised gasp as that hot, slick, tongue enveloped his erection. Wrapping it in its searing heat and causing Loki's eyes to fly open. Kiss or no, there was no way the symbiote could perform a traditional oral act, but this he could've never prepared for. Venom lowered his open maw over Loki's  length, pulling it in with that firm tongue, then holding just the tip of it fully inside, the heat from the creature’s mouth like an oven as his razor like teeth delicately closed, just grazing the edges of his shaft. Loki let out a shaky exhale as he took it all in. Pupils or no, he could tell Venom was holding his gaze and was very, very pleased with what he was about to do.

   **Move!** he heard the demanding voice in his head. Loki shuddered at the idea but his hips didn't get the message yet. **Move or I will move you!**

   Loki jolted at the notion and slowly pushed further into the beast's mouth. The moan that it drug from his lips was well earned as the experience flooded him with pleasure. His cock dragging with just the right amount of sharp friction past those teeth, lighting his nerves in fire, only to have them soothed as he plunged into the hot enveloping coil of that slick tongue. No mouth or quimm could ever compare to such a sensation and it wasn't long before he was thrusting eagerly into it, chasing the dizzying pleasure with eyes wide, and open mouth.

   “This could be my favorite trick yet my friend,” Loki said cockily as he thrust in long slow drags into the beasts hot maw. “I'd say you were holding out on me.”

  Venom didn’t respond, merely hummed in reply, a deep vibration that Loki definitely felt more than heard. Two tentacles slithered up, teasing both nipples at once, circling them, grazing them with strange spine like edges, bringing them to sharp firmness, then giving them a solid squeeze, causing Loki to bite his lower lip to stifle a far too loud moan. His hips stuttering out of rhythm as they repeated their actions over. His arms and legs beginning to tremble under the rising pressure of pleasure. Feeling everything doubled as Venom echoed his senses and emotions back at him.

   He was close, so close. Was Venom really going to let him off so easy? It appeared so as with one final thrust he spilled straight down the creature's throat. Groaning in ecstasy as the flood of orgasm washed over him. The symbiote continuing to hold him as he rode it out, finally slowing as the last bit spilled. Well, that was good, but overall a bit disappointing. He’d expected so much more.

    **Did I tell you to stop?** The creature growled in his head.

   Loki blinked in trepidation at the command. “Surely you jest. I've already finished, now release me!”

    **That was just a snack. There's more, I know it**

   Without any further warning, Venom wrapped his tentacles around Loki's ass and pulled his hips flush against his mouth, his tongue already going to work, sliding in steady undulations up and down his cock. The sensation was over stimulating to the point of being on the edge of painful. His hips trying to pull away,but held fast by the creature, as tentacles continued teasing his now overworked nipples, and Loki cursed at the sharpness of their bite that brought different small waves of pleasure eeking through the discomfort.

    Loki groaned, clenching his jaw and pushing against the will holding his arms and legs, trying to fight back as his senses were flooded. His cock aching with each drag, but even that soon changed to pleasure as it slowly restiffened. He'd come multiple times in one night  before, though always with a rest between. However, Venom knew exactly what he was doing, knew what Loki liked, what brought the most pleasure as he felt everything acutely as well. It wasn't long before he was throbbingly hard and ready to spill again.

   Suddenly the symbiote drew back and literally threw them both onto the bed, Loki landed face down, cradling his aching erection automatically, and as soon as he rolled over , Venom took hold of him again. Tendrils shot out securing his wrists and ankles as it spread him open. That deep ebony head hovering above him, grinning hungrily.

  **See, already you are dripping with your seed. So eager finish again. But no, not so quick this time** Venom snarled as a tentacle wrapped his base firmly, bringing a choked cry from Loki’s lips before he could stifle it. **What was it you called it? Delayed gratification.**

  Venom merely grinned wider at taking Loki off guard, his tongue sliding out to swipe at his hosts firmly trapped erection.

   “So what are you going to do now? Fuck me into submission?” Loki asked cockily. “Good luck to that!”

    **Fuck you? What a pleasant idea**

  Venom’s head suddenly dropped and he had a mere moment to think before his thighs were spread wider, just to the point of achingly pulling on his muscles and that hot tongue was back. Not on his cock this time, but sliding between his cheeks, circling his hole in swift rotations, teasing the nerves there until he felt his hole pulse eagerly. Then it felt as though the entire length of it was plunged inside in one thrust, causing him to groan as he was stretched open by the fiery slick appendage, arching his body off the mattress as far as he could as his breath was pushed out of him.

   More inky strands wrapped around his waist as the symbiote drug the full length of his tongue back out, pinning him firmly with what looked like hands on his hips, before he was thrust into again. Then again, over and over, and Norns save him he was enjoying every minute of it. The hot slickness of it filling him, stroking his insides as he was stretched wider, filled fuller with each stroke. The sharp bite of his hole getting worked open again and again, painful at first, but soon dulling to a pleasant scratch,finally taking care of that wonderful itch.

   Venom plunged into him and held his tongue inside, feeling Loki now stretched and relaxed around his width, and wiggling the tip as he explored. The sensation causing Loki to writhe a bit in his grip as his insides were tickled teasingly. So close to that perfect spot, but just missing it. Loki's pinned hips trying to move, trying to guide the creature where he wanted that tongue to go, where he needed it to go.

    **So eager you are.**  Venom purred teasinlgy **Greedy**

    “I'm not greedy,” pet Loki spat back through heavy breaths. “You’re a tease! Do you need a ruddy map?”

    **Oh you mean to find these?** Venom purred, dark coils sliding up to tease and squeeze at his nipples, bringing them swiftly back to eager attention, causing Loki to push his chest wantonly into their touch.

 **Or perhaps to find this?** Another tendril slithered out, circling his still bound cock to slide lazily up it's length, bringing a grunt from the man as it slipped across the top and teased his slit.

 **No, of course not Loki, I know every inch of our body.**  Venom stated flicking the tip of his tongue just across Loki's prostate and causing the man to jump involuntarily as the nerves lit up.

   Delighted with the reaction it elicited, it did it again, over and over, Loki's legs jumping  of their own accord in the symbiote's grasp as the nerves were stroked. Causing him to tremble and his breathe to stutter under the far too pleasurable assault. The tendril around his aching cock sliding back along its length to begin stroking him in agonizingly slow strokes. Loki was so close to the edge of coming that he grit his teeth in frustration. He was not ready to give up this delicious game so soon.

   He could feel Venom recognizing his stubbornness and swore he felt him laugh just before he lathed his tongue firmly across the nerves, finally bringing a moan from the man's lips as his head fell back as the surge of pleasure hit him. Venom pulled him closer, Loki could feel the teeth grazing against his ass, but certainly could not bring himself to care as that wonderful tongue of his continued stroking his gland, back and forth, firmly, then softly, just teasing the surface, keeping him on the brink, Loki pushing his hips as much as he could into that razor filled mouth, chasing the sensation, wanting more, needing more, Venom always keeping more just out of reach.

  Loki was emitting the most wonderful moans as he turned himself over to the sensations. Letting himself get swept up in them. He couldn't have stalled the petulant whine building at each moan if he tried. He was so close to his climax, he was right there, held off by the binding around his root. Held off by his symbiote and desperate craving for more, more friction, more pressure, more of everything.

   Venom suddenly pulled out, leaving Loki feeling far too empty and cold as he did. He opened his eyes, seeking his symbiote eagerly only to find him hovering mere inches above him. A body had materialized below the head at some point, giving him more form and substance as he shadowed over him.

    **Oh Loki, my Loki, you make us hurt so with need.**

   Loki usually so quick if wit was at a loss for words. His body aching with lust and want for this creature in a way he had never ached for another. And below it all, there was another feeling, another deeper sensation that he'd rather not think any further into existence just now.

    **Oh yes, I feel that too Loki,** Venom echoed, allowing that he'd felt it as well before his host could stow it away. **We feel it.**

  Venom reached down with one hand and gave Loki's weeping cock a smooth pull. Loki whimpered and arched into his touch, feeling his arms and legs suddenly freed to move. He planted his feet under shaky legs and pushed into the symbiote’s touch. His arms dropping to wrap around the hulking form, holding it, pulling it closer as it's words echoed from it's mouth straight through him. 

 **So greedy** venom purred swiping a thumb over his hosts lip, he'd formed nearly an entire body now, though when Loki had no idea. All he could focus on was the want. N the need. **I know exactly what we need**

  Before Loki could even fathom what that might be he was rolled over, manipulated like some rag doll and his hips lifted so that he was made to support himself on already shaky legs. He'd just a moment to recognize the hands holding him up when he was suddenly filled by what can only be described as the largest cock he'd ever felt. It plunged into him, forcing his hole wider as it entered, filling him deeper than any had before. Did Venom actually possess this body part or had he formed it just for this occasion? Loki couldn't ponder on it, didn't have time to form thoughts or words as it drew back only to surge forth again. Ramming into him deeper and harder, pushing him so hard that the breath was forced from his diagram, leaving him gasping between thrusts.

    **Shhhh Loki, we don't need to breath** Venom purred, pressing forward over Loki's back and snaking his tongue around his jaw. It slid easily past his open mouth and filled it, tickling his throat and causing him to swallow reflectively as he whined against the intrusion as it continued deeper, forcing his chin up to allow room as it spreadhis throat.. The Symbiote was right, he didn't need to breath, but it would be nice. However nice wasn't what this was about.

   Venom's member grew wider, spreading him, tearing him, bringing that painful sting to each thrust as the Symbiote claimed him. His body overrun with sensations, everything hurt, yet everything felt so good. The creature was holding him up, there was no way Loki had any energy left to base these thrusts, but his attack never faltered or slowed. Pounding Loki's ass with such ferocity that he saw white flashing behind his eyes each time the creature's head impacted his insides.

    **You are mine** Venom informed it's teeth grazing sharply over Loki's shoulder. Loki should have been embarrassed at how he gave into that, how he wanted it. Yes, he was Venom's, for as long as the creature would have him and he found himself nodding eagerly as tears leaked from his eyes and he chocked on the slick appendage still stretching his throat.

   It must've felt his consent  , The tentacles around his own painfully aching member loosened to begin stroking him lightly. A direct contrast to the hard rod still pounding into his sternum. He came quickly, a body wracking orgasm seizing him, every limb quaking and shuddering as he screamed around the thick tongue. The entire climax leaving him with after tremmors, where each breath of air and movement brought smaller shudders of pleasure.

   Gently the Symbiote withdrew, the tongue leaving Loki's mouth, allowing him to gasp his first deep breath. The thick appendage sliding from his abused hole as large hands carefully lowered him to the bed. Venom kept his form and wrapped himself around his host, drawing him close, holding his spent body against him. It would heal him, take away every ache and pain that he'd just rent upon him, but not yet.

    **You are mine.**

   "I am Yours" Loki conceited twisting his head and drawing the simbiotes mouth close, the tongue sliding in only briefly as Loki welcomed it. Meeting it with a gentle graze of his own. Then he settled back into the creature's arms. He'd been claimed, won over by the beast within. And he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

    **Loki, our lump of sad has gotten smaller**

    “Indeed it has,” Loki replied shifting fondly in the creature's embrace.

    **We are fixing us.**

   “It would appear so darling,” Loki replied feeling the purr of approval at the pet name radiating back at him with such feelings of love and happiness, that he couldn't help but smile and tighten his hold on the hands now gripping his own.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this finishes the first half of this story. I'm still working on the second half, so the next update may not be for awhile and there's still no 'true' ending. It may never have one. I hope you've enjoyed it so far. Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting.


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